Gun-toting raider Taylor Wright jailed over Yarrow Valley robbery

An armed robber who threatened to shoot an 80-year-old woman in her Borders country cottage has been jailed for five years and 10 months.

A judge condemned the "callous circumstances" of the crime.

He told Taylor Wright, 21, he would have sentenced him to eight years' imprisonment but for his guilty plea.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Sheila Turnbull now fears living alone at the house in the Yarrow Valley which has been her home for about 60 years.

Lord Brailsford said that in a victim impact statement she had said she was so frightened that she feared she could not live there for another winter and added that the crime was on her mind every day.

He told Wright: "You knew the victim and her vulnerability occasioned by her age and domestic circumstances."

The judge also pointed out that Wright, who has previous convictions for offences of dishonesty, had been assessed as posing a high risk of re-offending and causing further harm.

He added: "Your principal problem appears to relate to alcohol misuse."

The court heard that the robber had spent a part of his childhood living at a neighbouring farm in the remote Yarrow Valley.

He armed himself 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, of no fixed abode, earlier admitted assaulting and robbing his victim at a cottage at Yarrow, near Selkirk, on 18 March this year while possessing an imitation firearm and 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.

Advocate depute Peter McCormack had previously told the court that 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."

Defence counsel Victoria Dow said that Wright regretted the offences and could not quite believe what he had done.

She said he had had "a troubled upbringing" and had suffered from anxiety and depression.

Procurator Fiscal Nicky Patrick commented: "Taylor Wright selected his victim no doubt believing her to be an easy target due to her age and subjected her to a terrifying ordeal.

"His victim showed incredible bravery and resilience and thanks to her quick thinking was able to call for help soon after her attacker had fled.

"Not only will this sentence protect the public but I hope it will make clear to others that crimes such as these, targeting some of the more vulnerable in our community, will be dealt with swiftly and effectively."

Det Insp Steven Bertram from Police Scotland said: "This was a horrific attack on an elderly woman.

"Wright showed no compassion or thought for his victim's wellbeing, and we worked quickly to detain him.

"Whilst these types of incidents are thankfully rare, Police Scotland will not tolerate violent crime in our communities. We will always take swift action to bring those responsible to justice."