A KNIFE-brandishing thug held a blade to the throat of a terrified stroke victim pensioner and demanded money after bursting into his Port Glasgow home.

Craig Bonnar threatened to 'cut' and 'shoot' the 68-year-old man before marching him towards a cash machine in a bid to raid his bank account.

Bonnar, 31, is today facing a prison sentence after pleading guilty at Greenock Sheriff Court to repeatedly targeting the vulnerable man at his flat over a number of days.

Fiscal depute Maria Murdoch said Bonnar entered the property uninvited on June 5 and stated he wanted £20.

The fiscal depute said: "The victim initially refused, but the money was handed over after the accused made violent threats to cut him and shoot him."

Greenock Telegraph:

Bonnar, now a prisoner of HMP Low Moss, returned to the address on June 7 to demand more money.

The pensioner advised he had nothing to give him, placing his bank cards on the table and showing his empty pockets.

Bonnar then followed his victim into the kitchen where he produced a ‘small knife’ and held it to the man’s throat, the court heard.

He told the him he would lead him to an ATM before walking the frail pensioner to Tesco in Port Glasgow.

The victim was forced to stop at a bus stop on the way due to mobility issues, with Bonnar then demanding the PIN number for his bank card.

Bonnar thereafter took the card to the machine himself, but the withdrawal was declined due to insufficient funds.

Greenock Telegraph:

Defence solicitor Amy Spencer said her client was ‘thoroughly ashamed’ of his actions and accepted that he faces a custodial sentence.

Miss Spencer said: “In the cold light of day, when I have read these charges to Mr Bonnar, he is absolutely disgusted with himself.

“Throughout much of his life he’s suffered with addiction issues.

“He’s tried himself to overcome these issues, however, what I can say is that almost every offence you can see on his record emanates from his addiction to substances.

 

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“His desire for substances really brings out the absolute worst in him.”

Sheriff James Varney said it was ‘merciful’ that the victim did not suffer any physical injury, noting that the case would potentially have been remitted to the High Court if he had.

He told Bonnar: “It’s a very, very serious charge you are facing.

“You quite rightly accept the only way it can be disposed of is by way of custody.”

Sheriff Varney deferred sentencing until October 10 to allow for the preparation of reports.