Hooded robber jailed for armed hold-up of Kirkcaldy newsagent

A hooded man threatened a shopkeeper with a knife as he tried to rob a Kirkcaldy store.

Conor Hood, 26, demanded money from Tarlok Singh at the Best-One shop in Forth Avenue.

He ran off empty-handed and was later caught by police.

Hood was jailed for 34 months when he appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

The court heard he had entered the newsagent on December 14 with his hood pulled tight to hide his face. A regular customer was in the shop at the time of the offence.

The court heard Hood pointed his knife at Mr Singh and jumped on a counter but Mr Singh pushed him.

A detective in an unmarked police car later spotted Hood and another man and Hood ran away but was later caught and confessed to what he had done.

Hood, who appeared from Perth prison, admitted assaulting Mr Singh, brandishing a knife at him and attempting to rob him.

He also pled guilty to assaulting his ex-partner by seizing her by the clothing and dragging her down stairs and her home in Kirkcaldy and acting in a threatening and abusive manner at her flat, shouting, climbing on to scaffolding in an attempt to gain access and banging on a door and windows, all on November 20.

Hood’s solicitor Joanne Ritchie said her client had been abusing Valium following the break-up of his relationship.

She said: “He does appear genuinely remorseful for his actions now he is sober and able to reflect on his actions.”

Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist also granted a non-harassment order for 12 months in relation to Hood’s ex-partner.