A former sales manager has denied claims he was “a bully” and “the brains” behind two Dunfermline armed robberies.
Robert Wallis was accused of being a greedy bully and a liar when he gave evidence at his trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday.
Wallis said he did not know the two men who were robbed at gunpoint trying to buy drugs and had never met them.
He said at the time of the offences he was in a well-paid job earning up to £3,000 a week and so had no reason to rob anyone.
Asked why witnesses had identified him as the person behind the robberies, Wallis said he could only think that people were trying to “protect somebody”.
He said he had never been to the car park of Lauder’s pub where one of the robberies is alleged to have taken place.
He told the court he had spent that night at a Hogmanay party at the home of his partner’s mum.
He said he knew Jordan Hamilton because he was sometimes at the home of his partner’s mum, as he was on Hogmanay.
Wallis worked as a sales manager with a roofing firm based in Midlothian and could earn £2,500 a week in commission on top of his basic salary of £475 a week.
Hamilton has already admitted involvement in the Lauder’s Bar incident and claims Wallis was telling him what to do during the offence.
Wallis, 27, a prisoner at Perth, denies that between September 1 and 30 2014 at Townhill Road and the car parking area of National Tyres and Autocare, Gardeners Street, while acting with another, he assaulted Reece Smith, placed a rope around his neck, strangled him with the rope, struck him on the body with a metal pole, uttered threats of violence and robbed him of £200.
He also denies that on January 1 2015 at the car parking area of Lauder’s Bar, Townhill Road, he and Jordan Hamilton assaulted Andrew Wallace, punched him on the head, kicked him on the body, placed a handgun into his mouth, demanded money from him and robbed him of £240.
Wallis further denies that on January 12 2015 at the Kingsgate Shopping Centre he uttered threats of violence to Andrew Wallace.
Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf put it to Wallis that he was “a bully”, that witnesses were scared of him and he had forced Jordan Hamilton to “do your dirty work”. Wallis denied this.
Witness Paul Finlay, 45, told the court he had spent the Hogmanay in question at his partner’s home and was with Wallis throughout the night.
He said Wallis had arrived at 10.30pm and left at about 6am, remaining at the flat throughout that time.
The trial continues.