Fake bomb bank robber is freed for home visits
A GUNMAN who gave a petrified taxi driver a ‘bomb’ and ordered him to rob a bank is to be let out of jail for home visits, it emerged yesterday.
Andrew Patrick, 42, is only 14 months into his six years and nine months sentence but has been deemed ‘low risk’.
He is being moved to an open prison and will be eligible for unescorted home visits – and is likely to spend Christmas outside prison.
His victim, Alistair Rankin, 48, said: ‘It has been a hammer blow to learn he’ll soon be walking the streets.’
Patrick’s release covers ‘short periods of home leave’ which will take him to Lochgelly, Fife – less than ten miles from the Rankins’ house. The family have been told they will not be notified when he gets let out.
Patrick, a gym instructor, was jailed at the High Court in Glasgow in May 2016. Prison bosses wrote to Mr Rankin last June to tell him Patrick would not be out until April 2019.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) added that if the gunman failed to meet the strict criteria for parole he would not be released until 2022.
But the SPS has now written again to the Rankins as part of the Victim Notification Scheme, introduced in 2004, to say Patrick is eligible for ‘unescorted temporary release’.
It is believed he will be moved to Castle Huntly open prison, near Dundee, within weeks. About half of the inmates go home for Christmas.
Mr Rankin said: ‘My life has been left in tatters... his goes on as if nothing much has changed. He showed no remorse at what he did and laughed as he was sentenced.
‘We thought he’d be off the streets for years.’
Father-of-one Mr Rankin picked Patrick up in his taxi in November 2015. A gun was pointed at the cabbie and he was handed what he was told was a bomb. He was ordered to enter a bank in Kirkcaldy, Fife, and hand staff a note demanding money.
It stated workers had five minutes to fill a bag – and that devices would go off if police were called.
Mr Rankin was given £10,000 but Patrick had gone. He was arrested after a three-week manhunt.
The terrified Rankins fled their home in Cowdenbeath, Fife. They have written to the SPS to demand Patrick be banned from using taxis.
Victim Support Scotland said: ‘More needs to be done so the public and victims can understand sentencing and what it means for those affected by crimes.’
The SPS said it did not comment on individual cases.