Accused denies role in Gleneagles shop heist

High Court charges allege Richard Fleming was in masked gang jewellery raid

A man has denied he was involved in a jewellery store heist at the world famous Gleneagles Hotel. Richard Fleming went on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, accused of being part of a group that raided the Auchterarder venue in June last year. It is alleged that the 42-year-old, while acting with others, assaulted a member of staff, presented a pistol at him and threatened him with violence. He is accused of, as part of a group, raiding the hotel’s Mappin and Webb boutique with faces masked and carrying hammers, a machete and a self-loading pistol. And it is alleged he, while acting with others, placed jewellery shop employees in a state of fear and alarm, struck and smashed display cabinets and robbed them of watches. Fleming has lodged a special defence of alibi, claiming he was in Glasgow at the time. The trial is expected to last for three weeks.

A man accused of taking part in an armed robbery at Gleneagles Hotel has claimed he was in Glasgow at the time. Richard Fleming, 42, has denied a string of offences linked to the raid at the Perthshire hotel on June 27 last year. It is alleged that while acting with others, with his face masked and in possession of hammers, a machete and a self-loading pistol, he assaulted Louis Hutchison working at the premises near Auchterarder and presented the pistol at him and threatened him with violence. It is also alleged that while acting with others,with his face masked and in possession of the items, he assaulted employees Eva Riedel and Harriet Henderson and brandished the pistol at them and smashed a display cabinet. Fleming is further accused of, while acting with others and with his face masked and in possession of the items, entering the Mappin & Webb boutique at the hotel and putting employees Stephen McIvor and Daniel Horne in a state of fear and alarm for their safety, striking and smashing display cabinets and robbing them of watches. He is also accused, while acting with others, of assaulting security supervisor Euan Wishart by brandishing a hammer at him, repeatedly presenting a pistol at him and threatening him with violence. He is further accused of assaulting security manager Andrew Cannon by presenting a pistol at him.

I am told the trial is likely to take something in the region of three weeks. LADY CARMICHAEL

Fleming is also alleged to have attempted to pervert the course of justice on June 27 and 28 last year at the hotel, at Gleneagles train station, addresses in Glasgow and elsewhere in Glasgow, Perthshire and London. It is alleged that while acting with others an Audi Avant A4 car was driven at excessive speed from the hotel, failing to stop at a junction, causing a vehicle to brake sharply to avoid a collision. It is alleged the car was abandoned at Station Road next to the A9 and onlookers were threatened and the inside and outside of the vehicle was sprayed with bleach or a similar substance. It is further alleged that a Range Rover Evoque was driven from Gleneagles train station to Glasgow and taxis were taken to the city’s Central station before heading for London. It is alleged that the Evoque was set on fire at St Peter’s Cemetery, London Road, in Glasgow, by another or others unknown to the prosecutor. Fleming faces further charges alleging that while acting with others he was involved in the reset of the Audi and Range Rover cars. He is also accused of, while acting with another, breaking into houses in Buchanan Gardens and Middleshade Road, St Andrews, on June 12 last year and stealing jewellery, a driving licence and money from the first property and a Louis Vuitton scarf and box, a Hermes scarf, sunglasses, jewellery and Louis Vuitton bags from the latter. Fleming has lodged a special defence of alibi maintaining that at the time of the hotel robbery he was in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, the High Court in Edinburgh heard. The judge, Lady Carmichael, said to jurors: “I am told the trial is likely to take something in the region of three weeks.” The trial continues.

Picture: Steven Brown. Police at Gleneagles following last year’s incident at the hotel.