A brutal robber who carried out two violent thefts outside Dens Park has been told to expect years in jail.
Paul Whyte laid in wait for his victims on Dundee’s Provost Road – which runs behind one of the stands at Dens.
In the first incident his girlfriend, Hollie Rodger, approached Robert Phin and asked him for a lighter.
While distracted Whyte then launched a violent assault, holding Mr Phin in a headlock for around two minutes as he rifled through his pockets before making off with about £140.
Despite extensive police inquiries and a media appeal Whyte wasn’t caught.
Three weeks later he used the same trick again – loitering at exactly the same spot in Provost Road with Miss Rodger.
On that occasion he waited for Iain Minto to approach an address in the street before throwing himself on to the 53-year-old’s back and attacking.
This time he made off with £300, running off in to the night with Miss Rodger.
Whyte, 31, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to two charges of assault and robbery committed on August 13 and September 3 this year in Provost Road, Dundee.
Defence solicitor Jim Caird said he would give his plea in mitigation at a later sentencing date.
Sheriff Alsatair Brown deferred sentence until January 20 for social work background reports and warned Whyte he faces a long prison term.
He said: “I want a report – not because I am looking for any alternative to custody, but because I am considering a sentence in excess of four years and want to look at an extended sentence.”
Whyte was remanded in custody.
