Gun-toting raider Taylor Wright left Yarrow Valley pensioner terrified

A court has heard how an 80-year-old woman was left terrified after a gun-wielding raider carried out a robbery at her country cottage in the Borders.

Sheila Turnbull now fears being alone at the house in the Yarrow Valley where she has lived for about 60 years.

Taylor Wright, 21, of no fixed abode, admitted assaulting and robbing her in March this year while possessing an imitation firearm.

The case was continued for reports and he was remanded in custody.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Wright had spent part of his childhood living at a neighbouring farm in Yarrow.

Advocate depute Peter McCormack said Mrs Turnbull had suffered angina pain during the raid but was not physically injured.

However, he added: "The experience has had a profound psychological impact on her."

Mrs Turnbull had provided a victim impact statement for the court and in it said: "I am so frightened, I feel I cannot live here for another winter when the nights are long and dark.

"The crime is on my mind every day."

Wright was armed with a spray-painted BB gun, which his victim believed was real, and robbed her of cash and a bank card after getting her to reveal her pin number.

He also robbed her of her car to make his getaway before using her bank card to get more cash from an ATM in Selkirk.

Unemployed Wright admitted committing the offence in the village near Selkirk in March after being freed on bail in November last year.

He also admitted using the bank card to steal money from the cash machine on the same day and attempting to defeat the ends of justice by putting his victim's mobile phone in water, disconnecting a land line phone and removing her care alarm from a wall.

Mr McCormack said that on the day of the crime the pensioner had collected her Ford Fusion car from a garage in Selkirk before returning to the cottage.

She was putting away shopping when she heard tapping at the living room window and thought Wright might be from the garage.

The prosecutor said: "When she opened the door the accused pointed an imitation firearm towards her chest and said words to the effect of 'I won't hurt you if you do what I tell you to do'."

He added: "The weapon appeared real to Mrs Turnbull, who was terrified."

Wright continued to point the gun at her and repeatedly threatened to shoot her and demanded cash, claiming he needed £6,000 for a gambling debt.

The victim gave him £60 but he also took her purse, withdrew her bank card and demanded her pin number.

Wright told her: "You'd better be telling me the truth or I'll shoot you."

He took her car keys and after failing to start her automatic car, he got her to show him how to start it.

He told his victim: "Don't tell the police or I will come back and shoot you."

After the raider fled his victim found her mobile in the kitchen sink and after about 10 minutes was able to call relatives.

Police later detained Wright at a house in Galashiels.

Officers found the victim's car in Selkirk with the imitation handgun in the back. Wright's DNA was recovered from the weapon.

Lord Brailsford continued the case for a background report and Wright was remanded in custody.