A hammer-wielding masked man staged a bizarre double robbery attempt against his friend in Fife – either side of spending the night at his home playing on the Xbox.
Daniel Jackson, 19, pled guilty to assault and attempted robbery on March 14 and 15 last year at an address in Dick Crescent, Burntisland.
A sheriff at Kirkcaldy’s court said he could not remember such a “bizarre” case.
First attempt
Prosecutor Sarah Smith told the sheriff court Jackson was getting a lift to Burntisland when the driver overheard him make a throwaway comment that he was “going to rob someone”.
She then heard him on the phone saying “it’s all happening tonight”, before dropping him off in the town.
At around 8pm that evening Jackson was seen on the stairs to the flat dressed all in black and holding a hammer.
“I cannot remember a case as bizarre as this, given the fact you and the complainer were friends.” Sheriff Robert More.
Jackson was shouted at and he turned and fled.
The court heard the complainer’s partner later came home and Jackson, described in court as a friend of the complainer, arrived at around 11:30pm.
The fiscal depute said: “They stayed and played the Xbox.
“He asked the accused to lock the door when he left in the morning and post the key through the letterbox.”
Second attempt
At around 7am the next day the complainer heard footsteps, then saw Jackson with a hammer above his head, asking him to give him what he had.
The man’s partner was also woken.
Jackson was all in black, wearing a ski mask, cap and sunglasses.
Police were contacted and traced him returning to home and arrested him on suspicion of attempted robbery.
‘No explanation’
Defence lawyer Lee Qumsieh, appearing for Jackson, of High Street, Kirkcaldy, said his client was in a “poor place mentally” and suffers from ADHD, for which he was not medicated at the time.
The lawyer said Jackson had been using cannabis and Xanax.
The solicitor said: “It’s a rather bizarre offence.
“The complainer was a good friend. He has lost his friendship.
“Between the two attempted robberies he spent the night at the complainer’s house.
“He had taken cannabis at the address in the company of his friend.
“He does not have a good explanation for it, he accepts it would have been very alarming for the complainer.”
Mr Qumsieh said Jackson is due to start work as a groundskeeper in a few weeks.
Sheriff Robert More said: “I cannot remember a case as bizarre as this, given the fact you and the complainer were friends.
“It’s a very, very strange set of circumstances.
“This, along with your young age, persuades me I should obtain a report before disposing of the case.”
Sentence was deferred until July 5 to obtain background reports.
Jackson’s bail was continued meantime.
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