Teenage armed robber 'should have been in jail'

Armed with a replica rifle, Vallance sparked a manhunt that saw large sections of the area cordoned off while armed officers searched 10 properties, before finding the thug hiding behind a laundry basket.

Yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow, it emerged Vallance was placed on probation for a year for a breach of bail just 10 days before the early morning raid.

At an earlier hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh last month, when Vallance pleaded guilty to assaulting Urfan Hussain, the court heard that between March 2008 and February 2009 he was referred to the Children's Panel four times over 27 alleged offences, mostly for breaking into houses.

Last month, the Evening News told how Mr Hussain, whose family has run the post office for 21 years, chased Vallance for a quarter of a mile after being threatened with the weapon during the 7am raid.

Today, Mr Hussain, whose wife Shazia was off work for nearly a month, said: "This guy should never have been free to spark this mayhem.

"I think the sentence is lenient because there is a good chance he will be out in two or three years at the most. When they say five years it should be five years. If this guy was on probation, that means to me he should have been in jail.

"This has had a lasting effect on me and my wife. I am glad that he will be off the streets for a few years though."

During the hunt, police searched Vallance's girlfriend's flat, finding a note that read: "I'm having a stand-off with the police. I'm going away for a while. Speak soon. XX".

Detective Constable Ali Sellar said: "This incident did involve a lot of resources, armed officers. A block of flats and large area of Muirhouse was cordoned off.

"It's a strong sentence, but that's to be expected if you hold up a post office with what appears to be a gun."

Sentencing Vallance yesterday, Judge Lord Hardie, who ordered him to be supervised for a further three years on his release, said the robbery had been "pre-planned" and involved Vallance getting the weapon from a friend.

Andrew Houston, defending, said Vallance came from a "law-abiding family", who he had let down in the "most dreadful way".

Husband 'hid drugs under floorboards'

A WIFE has told a court how her husband took deliveries of heroin and cocaine from an alleged drug dealer and hid them under the floorboards of his home.

Lesley Gilroy said her husband, Robert Gilroy, 51, had shown her pouches of cocaine and heroin which had been delivered to his flat in Castleview Avenue in Craigmillar.

Mrs Gilroy, who is separated from her husband but not divorced, said the drugs had been dropped off by George "Dode" Buchanan, 54.

She told a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday that her children, aged 18, 12 and ten, had witnessed alleged drug dealing at her husband's flat and told her about it.

Mrs Gilroy told the court that Gilroy had said that he had an arrangement with "Dode Buchanan" to buy drugs for 100 an ounce and keep any profits from their sale. She had seen Buchanan come to the flat three times during her own visits, but her children had told her Buchanan stopped by "three or four times a week".

She added that her husband kept a crossbow, replica gun and baseball bat.

Buchanan and Gilroy both face charges of supplying heroin and cocaine from the address at Castleview Avenue between February 1 and June 25 last year. Buchanan faces a charge of committing the offences while on bail.

Gilroy also faces charges of possession of cannabis on June 25 last year, and threatening to kill his estranged wife during a phone call to her.

The trial continues.