Polish robbers jailed for 34 months

Feb 16 2010 by Alison Lowson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THREE Polish nationals who took part in a bungled raid on a Perth restaurant have each been given almost three years behind bars.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis has also recommended that the trio should be deported at the end of their sentences.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that they took part in a masked robbery at The Maltings, in Dunkeld Road, last October.

They fled with the night’s takings of around £4000 after violently attacking two members of staff, leaving one bleeding from a head wound.

But as they made their escape, one of them dropped a hooded jacket which was later recovered by police.

And inside one of the pockets, officers found a piece of paper containing the name of one of the robbers, who had been a former restaurant employee.

When police checked their records, they discovered that he was already known to them – and they even had his address.

The note also contained a map, detailing various possible escape routes from the restaurant, as well as the positions of CCTV cameras in the area.

Hubert Kowalczyk (19), Mateusz Gowinski (21) and his 19-year-old brother Aleksander admitted taking part in the robbery on October 18.

They also attacked Ewan MacKenzie and Stuart Bryce, punching Mr MacKenzie on the head, struggling violently with them and forcing them to the ground.

During the confrontation, Mr MacKenzie was punched on the top of the head and was forced on to the floor.

“Mr MacKenzie realised by that stage he had been injured and could feel blood running down his face,” stated depute fiscal Stewart Richardson.

“He simply shouted to the three men: ‘Just take the money and go’ – which they did.”

The three were later traced to a flat in Perth’s Marshall Place and were arrested.

The court was told that they had planned the robbery because they were “desperate” for money after being threatened with eviction from their flat because of late payment of rent.

Passing sentence, Sheriff Foulis told them: “You pled guilty to two serious crimes of assault and robbery upon two employees of a restaurant.

“The robbery was carried out by you all when you were masked, violence was visited on the two individuals and the robbery took place when it was known the likelihood would be that there was a significant amount of cash available.

“Custody is the only disposal.”

Turning to the issue of whether a recommendation for deportation should be made, the Sheriff said that was a “more difficult decision”.

But he concluded: “I consider that your conduct does represent a genuine present and sufficiently serious threat affecting the fundamental interests of society.

“On the grounds of public policy and public security, it is appropriate to make a recommendation for deportation.”

The 34-month sentences were backdated to October 20, when the trio were remanded.

The three showed little emotion as they were led handcuffed from the dock.