Ex-commando tied up Co-op store manager and threatened him with drill in robbery

A former commando who staged a “planned and premeditated” robbery, tying up a store manager and threatening him with a power drill, has been jailed for over six years.

Richard Grant, who gained his Green Beret in 2010 after serving with the Royal Navy and then joining the Royal Marines, descended into a life of drink, crime and drugs after the death of his grandfather two years later, the High Court in Stirling was told.

In June 2024, Grant, 39, and co-accused Jack Bonner, 26, were armed with the drill and a knife or screwdriver when they subjected the manager of a Co-op food store in Shamrock Street, Dunfermline, to a what a judge called a “terrifying” ordeal.

He was forced to open a safe at the premises and his hands were tied behind his back before the activated electric drill was put to his back and then switched off.

Bonner and Grant, both of Dunfermline, seized nearly £2,400 worth of cash, alcohol, cigarettes and vapes.

But witnesses contacted police and Bonner was arrested at the rear of the premises.

Grant was later arrested and told police: “I have not robbed anyone.”

All the cash and goods were recovered.

The pair pled guilty to assaulting the shop worker and robbing the store of money and goods.

Defence solicitor-advocate Marco Guarino, for Grant, who once ran a fitness business, said: “Drugs played a part, together with the loss of close family and other issues he had when he was serving with the armed forces.

“This is a man who had been a very profitable, intelligent and talented member of society.”

Jim Stephenson, defending Bonner, said: “He accepts drug abuse is at the heart of his offending and is trying to address that in the prison system.”

The court heard that both accused had criminal records, including for assault and robbery.

Judge Simon Collins KC jailed Grant for six years and three months, and Bonner for five years and three months.

Both were made subject to three-year sentence extensions, during which time they can be recalled to prison if they reoffend.

Grant, who committed the offence while on early release from a previous term, was also ordered to serve the unexpired 283 days of that.

Judge Collins said: “This was obviously a serious charge. Both accused seized and dragged the store manager into a back room, tied him up face down on the floor, shouted and swore at him and threatened violence against him, brandished and held either a knife or a screwdriver against his neck and placed an electric drill against his body and turned it on.”

Judge Collins said the manager wasn’t physically injured but it was apparent that psychologically the incident had a “huge impact on him”.

He said: “It must have been a terrifying experience for him.

“More than 18 months later, he describes anxiety at going out in public or to busy places such as cinemas and theatres.”

The attack had forced him to change his job to a less customer-facing role.

He said Grant had suffered psychological consequences as a result of his time in the armed forces.

But he added: “His approach to that has been to descend into substance and alcohol abuse and into a life of criminality.”

The sentencing had to be briefly halted after Bonner indicated he needed to be taken to the toilet as the judge was addressing him.

After that, the pair showed no emotion as they were handcuffed to guards and led to the cells.