Gordon McLeod jailed as judge praises pensioners' bravery

A man who posed as a council worker to try to get into a pensioner's house in Edinburgh has been jailed for three and a half years.

Gordon McLeod's plans were foiled when the 70-year-old homeowner and his 69-year-old friend tackled him.

At the High Court in Glasgow, heroin addict McLeod, 32, admitted assaulting the men.

Jailing McLeod, Judge Lady Scott praised the bravery of the pensioners.

The court heard that McLeod pretended to be an East Lothian council worker in a bid to get into Ronald Cormack's home in Lauriston Place in Edinburgh last May.

He told Mr Cormack he needed inside the turn the water off because there was an emergency.

McLeod wore a high visibility vest and flashed a fake identity card, before pushing past the pensioner.

Apology to victims

Once inside the house, he started to struggle with Mr Cormack and he produced a knife, the court was told.

Mr Cormack and his friend Jack Cairns then tackled the intruder - one pushed him towards the door while the other called the police.

Lady Scott told McLeod: "The elderly gentlemen were having a quiet social evening when you appeared and sought to gain entry by pretending there was an emergency and you needed to switch the water off.

"When this gambit failed, you forced your way into the house, with intent to rob the householder."

She said that when McLeod met with resistance from the two OAP he "gave up and was ushered out of the house."

She added: "Your two victims were gentlemen aged 70 and 69 years old respectively. Thankfully neither was injured."

The court heard that McLeod has a lengthy list of previous convictions including one for assault and robbery in 2006 for which he received a 42 month jail sentence.

Defence counsel Matt Jackson said: "He can't apologise enough to the victims. To force his way into the house was unforgivable."