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Nwicker60
09-Sep-11, 09:11
Post office robber in brain-scan drama

Wick jury hears of accused's boxing days’ legacy

ONE of two men convicted of a post office robbery was a successful boxer long before he turned to crime, Wick Sheriff Court was told yesterday.
John Hind had no less than 25 fights for his country at amateur level but his time in the ring took its toll, his counsel, Jonathan Crow told Sheriff Andrew Berry .
Mr Crow was speaking after Hind 54, from Colne, in Lancashire, and his accomplice, 40-year-old Matthew Peters were found guilty of breaking into the shop and post office at Glenuig, Lochailort, and stealing a safe and its contents, on October 11, 2007.
The advocate said that Hind was a man who did not enjoy good health and had suffered brain damage as a result of his time in the ring. He had recently undergone a brain scan – one of the court sessions had been postponed to accommodate him –and was due to get the result in a fortnight’s time.
Hind was said to have been unlucky in love too with two broken relationship, leaving him with a 10-year-old son to bring up. Mr Crow said that the brain scan might have a bearing on the sentence to be imposed on the accused and asked the sheriff to exercise leniency in the anticipated custodial sentence.
Peters had denied an additional charge of breaking into the Sutherland post office at Embo and on
September 3rd or 4th and stealing a safe and its contents, £7, 037 in cash and stock to the value of £1,926.
The pair were originally accused of breaking into a series of post offices and other commercial premises in Caithness, and other parts of the Highlands and the north-east of Scotland, and stealing cash totalling £34,497 and stock amounting to £10,508. But sixteen of the charges were dropped or ruled as no case to answer, by the sheriff.
Hind, who has a number of previous convictions, was said to have been travelling between Lancashire and Caithness where he was restoring a cottage known as the Crow’s Nest, Halkirk for his daughter.
During the five-week trial the court was told that police had the Glenuig post office under surveillance and observed two men arrive in a Vauxhall Omega car, in the early hours of the morning, making their way towards the building.
Senior fiscal depute David Barclay said that torches were seen flashing outside then inside, the post office, then the car lights went out and the two figures were seen running into the hills. It was then discovered that the post office had been broken into.
Mr Barclay said that the “essential housebreakers tools” were discovered in the boot of the car. These included a winch, a jemmy, suction pads, an axe and bolt cutters.
Police mounted a stake-out and observed the two accused coming along the railway line to Loch Eil station. Hind was arrested, Peters escaped but was caught later.
Turning to the Embo break-in, by Peters, Mr Barclay referred to a number of circumstantial threads which he submitted the jury was entitled to draw inferences from.
Then he highlighted the interview Peters gave at Leyland police station in Lancashire to Caithness police officers. The accus said nothing while the tape was running but once it was switched off, he wanted to cut a deal and said he would give them Hind “on a plate” and lead them to the safes that were not recovered.
Mr Barclay continued that Peters then said something ‘significant’, telling the officers that he had cut a cable at the Embo post office, not realising it was the mains electricity line.
He went on: “There is a concept in Scots law known as a special knowledge confession. It means that if a suspect gives information that only the perpetrator of a crime could be expected to know, then it could be concluded that he committed the offence.”
Mr Barclay added that two officers were clear about their evidence in the post-tape admissions by Matthews and “could not be shaken” in the witness box. He formally invited the jury the return verdicts of guilty on both men
Advocate Allan Macleod said that Peters, was currently serving a prison sentence and had been out on licence when the offences were committed. He expected another custodial sentence to be imposed. Mr Macleod added that Peters was a qualified mechanic and hoped to get a job with his brother-in-law in Dorset when he was free.
Sheriff Berry said he required to know exactly what remained of Peters current prison term and Hind’s medical situation before passing sentence.
The case was continued to September 30 when the sheriff will see background reports.
The housebreaking tools were ordered to be forfeit.