Pair jailed for attacking sleeping man in his home

COURT REPORTER

A notorious female couple have been jailed for a total of 41 months after a terrifying attack on a sleeping Airdrie man in his own home.

Vicious Simone Gibson, 27, and Paige Ruddy, 29, targeted their victim on October 11 last year, when they also robbed the terrified man and threatened him with a screwdriver and razor blade.

Gibson and Ruddy, whose addresses were given as prisoners of Polmont, laughed in the dock at Airdrie Sheriff Court as they were led away to begin their sentences last week.

The pair forced their way into a house in Cheviot Court, Holehills, assaulted the home owner, demanded money and drugs from him and threatened him with two weapons; they also took his bank card and £100 in cash.

The crooks sprayed a CCTV camera with paint in a bid to avoid detection of robbery and defeat the ends of justice.

Gibson was on bail at the time and also broke a curfew ordering her to be at home each evening in Merrick Court, from 7pm until 7am.

Ruddy also breached bail, imposed on her at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last September.

Prosecutor Liz Ross moved for sentence and tabled previous convictions against both Ruddy and Gibson to Sheriff Morag Shankland.

Ms Ross told the court: “The incident happened in Cheviot Court, which is a block of flats. The victim lived on his own.

“Ruddy and Gibson were detected on CCTV and seen entering the building at 10.37pm, equipped with a can of spray paint.

“They sprayed the paint over the lens of the CCTV camera on the seventh floor. It left it blurred, but there was enough to see them entering a house at 10.45pm. They were on the landing and forced entry and then seen leaving to make their way to their home address.

“They returned a few minutes later. Their victim was awakened and they demanded money and drugs from him. Gibson was in possession of a yellow- handled screwdriver, while Ruddy had a razor blade and told the man, ‘you had better do as I say or we will use these on you’.

“Both women continued to make threats to harm their terrified victim before leaving. They took his bank card and £100, which was in a jacket pocket.

“The man went downstairs to the concierge who called the police. Officers arrived and viewed the CCTV.

“The razor was in the hallway. Police attended at their home address. They forced their way in and both were there.

“The yellow-handled screwdriver and spray paint was retrieved. Both were arrested.”

Defence solicitor Fraser McKinnon, representing Gibson, said: “It was always her intention to resolve this matter. She is pragmatic about the outcome.”

Ruddy’s lawyer, Judith Reid, added: “There is very little in mitigation that can be said about this behaviour. It was a desperate attempt and she was always going to get caught.

“She was in the care system when younger. She has relied on drugs.

“She will serve a sentence and tells me she will take the medication properly.”

Sheriff Shankland told Gibson, who was once convicted of tying a telephone cord around the neck of a young boy she had abducted: “You do yourself no favours.

“The appropriate sentence is 33 months and you have an unexpired sentence of five months to serve. You will go to prison for a total of 19 months.”

Ruddy was jailed for 22 months, backdated to October 14, when she was first remanded.

steward on the door. The owner came to the door and was pushed to the ground and then head butted by Lennon. “Police were called and he was taken to Coatbridge police office, where he continued to lash out at an officer. He was cautioned and charged and made no reply.” Lennon denied being in possession of cannabis resin at Coatbridge police office, which was accepted by the Crown. Sheriff Fergus Thomson told Lennon:“I am prepared to deal with this by way of a non-custodial sentence. “The social work report before me is lukewarm as to whether or not supervision would do you any benefit or not.” Lennon was put on a community payback order and told to carry out 72 hours of unpaid work, which was reduced from 80 hours because of his early plea of guilt and saving court time and the necessity of a trial. He was ordered to complete the 72 hours within five months. Sheriff Thomson explained to Lennon this sentence was imposed as an alternative to a fine.

Behind bars Gibson and Ruddy were sentenced to 19 and 22 months in prison respectively