Man who carried out city centre robberies could face life sentence

Howff Cemetery: Michael McDougall attacked first victim at Dundee's Howff Cemetery.

A man who carried out two robberies in Dundee is facing a life sentence.

Judge Lord Uist told Michael McDougall that a report into his outlook on life was the “bleakest” statement about an offender he had ever read.

McDougall, 27, first targeted Grant Coutts at Dundee's Howff Cemetary on March 9 this year. He attacked Mr Coutts and stole his wallet which contained £300.

Two days later, McDougall targeted the Mace store in the city's Constitution Road. He held a knife to teenager Amy Miller's face and forced her to hand over £584.71 and a carrier bag full of cigarettes and tobacco.

Advocate depute John Scullion told The High Court in Edinburgh that when police questioned McDougall about the crimes he didn't express any regret for the harm he caused Mr Coutts and the 18-year-old girl and told them: "The fags were good. The money was good as well."

McDougall, a prisoner of HMP Perth, pleaded guilty to two March 2012 charges of assault and robbery.

Lord Uist made reference to a report that he had read that had been commissioned by the authorities about McDougall's outlook on life. He said it was the "bleakest" statement about an offender that he had ever read

He said that in order for the public to be protected, McDougall may need to be given a life sentence.

He deferred sentence in order for the court to obtain a risk assessment report into whether McDougall is likely to commit more violent crimes.

McDougall will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh on August 21, 2012.

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