A former squaddie has been jailed for more than three years for an armed robbery at an Angus hotel.
Thomas Smyth, 45, stole more than £8,400 from his former employers at the Links Hotel in Montrose during a terrifying raid in December 2012.
Smyth, acting with an accomplice, was involved in the abduction of a security guard in the incident, during which the man was bound and gagged before he was forced into a laundry room and threatened with a hammer.
The pair proceeded to steal £8,446.15 in cash, a cheque to the value of £120, three sets of keys and two money tins.
Smyth previously admitted the charge after handing himself in to police on December 31 when he was remanded in custody.
The Northern Irishman, who performed two tours of duty with the army on his home soil, appeared from custody at Arbroath Sheriff Court on Tuesday where he was sentenced to 36 months for the crime and another four months for failing to appear for a previous court date.
Sheriff Gregor Murray told Smyth, whose address was given as Perth Prison, that the offence was “callous and premeditated” and must have left his victim “terrified”.
Defence agent Billy Rennie said Smyth had played a lesser part in the incident but accepted his “art and part” responsibility.
“There are certain aspects of the narration of the offence which I have to highlight,” said Mr Rennie.
“The reports point out that he was not involved in the binding or covering of the victim in this case.
“That’s his position. His position is that he did not grab the complainer or bind or cover him.
“Having worked there before, he knew the layout, where the safe was and the whereabouts of the keys. He did that while the other person remained with the security guard.
“He accepts it was art and part and on his return from emptying the safe he found the security guard and checked he was OK.”
He added: “Mr Smyth’s position is the other person involved had a significant debt and he did not reveal that for fear of placing any greater burden on that person.
“That was to a bookmaker for around £7,000. This wasn’t a crime based just on resentment from losing his job.”
Mr Rennie added that Smyth had been in the British Army from 15 to 23 and had residual mental issues from his time in service.
Sheriff Murray said Smyth’s lesser role in the abduction of the security guard was the only reason he was being sentenced in the Sheriff Court, rather than the High Court.
He added: “Having given the matter consideration I have taken account of the fact that he is the one sitting here, not in the High Court. The first charge was a callous and premeditated offence planned to be carried out when there was likely to be a significant sum of money there.
“You were involved in a crime which subjected an innocent person to what must have been a terrifying ordeal. I hear what Mr Rennie has said, but a significant amount of money was taken and only around 10% was recovered.”
Smyth’s sentence was backdated to December 31.