Pink trainers helped catch Galashiels post office robber

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A masked robber who wore a distinctive pair of pink trainers during a violent raid on a post office has been jailed for four years.

Jordan Renwick, 24, covered his face with a scarf but his standout footwear was flagged up to police.

He was caught on camera still wearing the trainers while spending cash at a shop later the same day.

Renwick, of Galashiels, had previously admitted carrying out the robbery in February this year.

He armed himself with a hammer to stage the raid on the Gala Park post office on Balmoral Place.

'Formidable record'

During the robbery he repeatedly punched manager Farrukh Sair, who was also struck on the head with an object.

Renwick, who lived directly opposite the premises, also robbed another man, John Hardie, who had come into the store.

A judge told Renwick at the High Court in Edinburgh: "You have 31 convictions encompassing some 53 offences.

"For a young man that is a formidable record and you are placed at high risk of future offending."

Lord Burns ordered that Renwick serve 220 days of an unexpired part of a previous prison sentence, from which he had been freed early, before he starts the four-year term.

Renwick will be monitored for a further three years following his release from prison.

During the raid he stole between £2,000 and £2,500 in cash, along with stamps, cigarettes and mobile phones. He also robbed Mr Hardie of a phone and a wallet containing £40.

'Very distressing'

Renwick had jumped over a counter armed with the hammer and told Mr Sair to get to the floor before taking cash.

Mr Sair required six stitches to a head wound he sustained during the struggle with Renwick.

Defence counsel Victoria Dow said that Renwick had a "fairly significant" drug debt at the time of the offence and owed the money to what he had described as "a heavy drug dealer".

She said Renwick had been panicking, and that his offending took place when he was under the influence of drugs.

Det Insp Keith Mackay welcomed the sentence and said Renwick was responsible for a "serious assault and two robberies".

"This was a very distressing incident for the two victims, one of whom sustained a head injury during the robbery," he said.

"I hope this jail sentence will give them some sense of closure.

"I want to thank the local community for all their assistance with our investigation."