£100-a-day heroin addict told Edinburgh bakery worker he needed cash to visit dying child before trying to rob her

A violent drug addict attempted to rob an Edinburgh bakery after telling the owner he needed the cash to visit his dying daughter.
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Andrew Punton made the claim to Dawn Jamieson before trying to grab notes from the till at the Parkhead Bakers in May this year.

Despicable Punton threatened to punch Ms Jamieson if she didn’t hand over the money after telling her he had to travel to see his daughter.

Crime scene: Thug tried to rob Parkhead BakersCrime scene: Thug tried to rob Parkhead Bakers
Crime scene: Thug tried to rob Parkhead Bakers
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Two men from a nearby pub were told of the robbery attempt and grabbed hold of Punton until police arrived on the scene to arrest him.

The 26-year-old thug then spat within a police vehicle and told the officers he had Hepatitis C before going on to spit at police worker while being processed at Livingston police station.

Punton appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court via video link and pleaded guilty to the bungled robbery bid and police assault.

Fiscal depute Anna Chisholm told the court bakery owner Ms Jamieson had taken pity on Punton after he had asked her for some clothes while he was sleeping rough.

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The kind-hearted business owner brought clothes for Punton to wear but he soon began demanding cash from her during an incident at around 10.50pm on May 9 this year.

Punton demanded £10 from the woman as he claimed he needed the cash to travel through to Paisley to visit his dying daughter.

Ms Jamieson denied the request and Punton replied “I’m only wanting a tenner - I’ll go get it myself”.

He then shouted: “F***ing open it [the till] or I will f***ing hit you. I’m only after a tenner.”

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The fiscal said the bakery boss “feared for her safety” and due to her panic she could not get the till open.

A witness outside the bakery saw the incident unfold and ran into a nearby pub to get help.

Two men then attended at the bakery and were said to have taken Punton to the floor until the police arrived.

After being arrested Punton told officers he was “going to petrol bomb the shop” and began spitting within the vehicle claiming he had Hepatitis C.

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The drug addict then assaulted civilian officer Philip Chapman by spitting at him after he had arrived at Livingston police station.

Solicitor Emma Martin, defending, said her client was using £100 of heroin a day at the time of the robbery attempt.

Ms Martin added Punton “accepted he had abused her [Ms Jamieson] trust and was utterly desperate for drugs”.

The lawyer said Punton was currently serving an eight-month prison sentence for a separate offence.

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Sheriff Donald Corke said: “I require to get a criminal justice social work report with a view to a possible supervised release order.

“Given that the public require to be protected from serious harm you will be in custody meantime.”

Sentence was deferred for reports to next month.

Punton pleaded guilty to assaulting Dawn Jamieson and demanding she open a till and give him money and threaten to punch her if she failed to do so and attempt to rob her of money at Parkhead Bakers, Parkhead Gardens, Edinburgh, on May 9 this year.

He also admitted to spitting within a police vehicle and claiming he had Hepatitis and spitting at Philip Chapman.

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