Thug brandished broken bottle at men sitting in car during Grangemouth robbery

Appearing from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, Robbie Barker, 24, had pleaded guilty to assaulting and robbing two men in Claret Road, Grangemouth, on December 22 last year.

He also admitted threatening behaviour – struggling with police officers – in Inchyra Park, Grangemouth on the same day.

The charges stated Barker opened the door of a car, demand property from a man, smashed a glass bottle and brandished it at him, removed the key from the ignition, demand the man’s mobile phone and then run the broken bottle along his arm, damaging his jacket before robbing him of his mobile phone.

He then brandished the bottle at another man and robbed him of a wallet and mobile phone.

Martin Morrow, defence solicitor, said up until last year Barker had no previous convictions.

Sheriff Charles Lugton said he was close to imposing a custodial sentence on Barker, address listed as Low Moss Prison, but took into account the fact he had already served the equivalent of a 12 month sentence.

He placed him on a restriction of liberty order meaning he must remain in his home from 7pm to 7am for the next nine months. He also made him subject to a supervised community payback order for two years with the conduct requirement to undergo substance abuse counselling.

A review of the order was fixed for two month’s time.