A ROBBER who carried out three armed raids in his local community was today jailed for six years.

Dad-of-one Paul Gough, 32, a former mechanical engineer, carried out the first two raids armed with a realistic-looking imitation gun and the third armed with a knife.

When he was shown CCTV footage of the way he treated staff at the three business during the robberies he said he was 'ashamed.'

Today at the High Court in Glasgow judge Lady Stacey ordered Gough, from Springburn to be monitored in the community for two years after his release from prison because of the danger he poses to the public.

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She told Gough: “You know what you did was very frightening for the shop employees and restaurant workers. The use of imitation firearms and knives cannot be tolerated. It is clear you have expressed regret and were ashamed when you you saw CCTV footage and realised it was very frightening for the people involved.

"You present a risk of serious harm to the public."

The court heard that Gough, who has been a problem drinker since the age of 12, struck at a petrol station, grocery store and a McDonalds restaurant in Springburn, Glasgow.

The crimes were carried out between October 16 and December 6, last year.

The 32-year-old was armed with what appeared to be a firearm when he stole around £120 from the Shell garage in Springburn Road, on October 16, last year.

Two weeks later on October 28, 2019. he targeted the Shopsmart Store in Hawthorn Street.

Gough - again brandishing a weapon - yelled at a worker: "Get out the way, you f*****g bam."

He only got his hands on alcohol before fleeing the scene.

The final incident was an early hours raid at the McDonalds again in Springburn Road, on December 6, last year.

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This time he brandished a knife and stated to staff: "it will be alright. I am not going to hit you."

Gough escaped with £80. He was later held after a media appeal.

Gough pleaded guilty to three charges of assault and robbery.

Defence counsel Tony Lenehan said: “He was a problem drinker from the age of 12, as shocking as that is to relate.

“However he is not an unintelligent man, he is a capable man and he qualified as a mechanical engineer.”

Mr Lenehan told the court that Gough's life went on a downward spiral after he was made redundant.