Sin Bin: RBS cashier admits role in branch robbery

Mazahir Abbas Sheikh, 38, admitted that he had secretly planned the robbery with thief Kerr Somerville, 33, who hit the Craigentinny Avenue branch on 13 October 2014.

Sheikh, who also pointed out other men as resembling Sommerville at a subsequent identity parade, had denied conspiring with Somerville before changing his plea.

Somerville, who had only two previous convictions for road traffic offences, pled guilty in August last year to stealing the money, while acting with another man, and was sentenced to 10 months in prison.

Giving evidence at Sheikh’s trial, Somerville said Sheikh approached him in the summer before the raid.

He said: “I was asked if I would take part in getting the money. I was actually pretty shocked when it was put to me. I was in need of money at the time.

“I didn’t think that in this day and age you could walk into a bank and walk out with the money.”

Somerville said he was told to come to the counter where Sheikh was serving and the money would be put under the shutter and no attention would be paid to him. He was also told not to come in on certain days because there were people working there who would recognise him.

Gary Hunter, the then branch manager, said he was alerted to what was happening when Sheikh asked him to “hand me the bundle of 50s”. This, he said, was an old security code to signal that a robbery was taking place and he pressed the “panic button”.

Sheikh said Somerville came to his home on the morning of the robbery and told him about getting money from the bank.

“He said I had to do it or there would be consequences,” said Sheikh. “I was scared for my life and my wife and children. I was confused and scared. He was so confident. That’s why I did not say anything to anyone”.

Sheikh, who denied getting any money from Somerville, said he followed the bank procedure in a robbery by asking for the bundle of 50s and using the dye bag. He knew the manager would press the alarm and was giving the money as slowly as possible.

He also said he had been warned that if he identified Somerville at the ID parade there would be “consequences”.

Defence solicitor, Victoria Good, asked Somerville why he had robbed the bank.

“Because it sounded so easy,” he said. “The opportunity was there and I took it”. He denied threatening Sheikh or his family.

The jury heard of a large number of mobile phone calls, some voice and some text, between Somerville and Sheikh before and after the robbery.

Sheriff Alistair Noble deferred sentence on Sheikh until next month for reports. His bail was continued.