Manager of popular Edinburgh pub linked to violent £77,000 robbery after worker ambushed on way to bank

A manager at a popular Edinburgh bar was a vital link in a violent £77,000 robbery.

Aidan Kelly, 30, worked at the busy Biddy Mulligans pub in Edinburgh's Grassmarket.

Takings were collected from there and other bars after a thriving weekend last August.

A judge heard how a pub worker was later ambushed as he went to deposit a large amount of cash late at night at the RBS branch in the capital's St Andrew Square.

Convicted criminals Steven Batten, 25, Jordan Craig, 26, Dale Thomson, 26 and an unknown associate were the gang who pounced.

But, prosecutor Derick Nelson told the High Court in Glasgow: "Steven Batten was given inside information about the banking procedures by Aidan Kelly, who was working as a manager at Biddy Mulligans pub."

It emerged Kelly later blew £1,000 at an Edinburgh casino - but claimed to police he owed money to drug dealers.

The robbers who took part in the raid helped get themselves caught after later ordering pizzas using one of their phones.

The four are now behind bars after they today admitted to an assault and robbery charge.

They will be sentenced next month.

The court heard how Biddy Mulligans and The Three Sisters pub in the nearby Cowgate prepared takings to be banked after a busy weekend last August.

Both are owned by the same company - the G1 Group.

In the early hours of August 25, Eric Drought - who worked at The Three Sisters - was picked up by the firm's operation's manager Derek Menzies to deposit money from the pubs.

They were planning to stop at a number of banks including the RBS in St Andrew Square.

A taxi driver became suspicious when he clocked a car in Edinburgh city centre with everyone inside with their faces covered.

They were also wearing bright white gloves described as "similar to ones worn at a rave".

Mr Nelson told how Batten was behind the wheel.

Around 1.35am, Eric Drought got out at the RBS to put money in the night safe.

Mr Nelson said: "As he opened a rucksack to remove takings, he felt a blow to the right side of the face.

"He became aware of one person taking the rucksack away from him...and realised there were three men surrounding him wearing balaclavas."

Mr Drought, 27, tried to fight back, but was knocked down again.

One of the robbers was brandishing a baseball bat. The attackers then fled with the loot.

A bleeding Mr Drought managed to get into the car he had arrived in. His colleague Mr Menzies was unaware what had happened.

Mr Drought later needed hospital treatment for a wound above his eye.

A large scale hunt was soon sparked to find the robbers.

CCTV initially traced Batten as driving the car used in the raid with Craig one of the passengers.

Police later got a tip off that those responsible had been at serviced apartments in the capital's Lochend Road.

They were said to have been in possession of up to eight £1000 bundles of bank notes.

It was discovered Batten had earlier booked an apartment there.

A payment had been made by a man using "brand new £10 notes".

The individuals who had stayed there left on the morning of August 27.

Mr Nelson said: "A cleaner attended. The apartment was messy with four Domino's pizza boxes in the kitchen.

"A subsequent enquiry was made with Domino's at Leith Walk in Edinburgh.

"The telephone number used to order the pizza was attributed to Jordan Craig."

Police went on to raid addresses linked to the four.

An orange rucksack matching the one snatched in the robbery as well as the white "rave" gloves were found at a flat in Restalrig Circus, Edinburgh.

Batten was held at a flat in the city's Gordon Street. He was found with £1830.

Kelly's home in Lochend Park View, Edinburgh was searched and a total of £2,600 was stashed in a shoebox.

Police also discovered he and Batten had been "in almost daily contact" by phone in the days leading up to the crime.

Just hours before the raid, Kelly had an almost two minute call with Batten close to Biddy Mulligans.

He was employed as a deputy general manager at the time.

Mr Nelson said: "He left the pub around midnight making an excuse to his colleagues for finishing his shift early."

The pair were back in contact a number of times after the robbery.

Kelly's spending habits were checked following his arrest.

He was found to have been at the Genting Casino in York Place, Edinburgh weeks after the raid.

Mr Nelson said: "During the visit, he placed £1,500 of bets losing £1,000 cash."

Kelly later claimed to police he had built up a £5,000 drug debt and he had tried to pay it by gambling.

Asked about the crime, he said: "I'll be so f****d."

Mr Nelson added: "It is accepted that he was not one of the four men in the car used to carry out the assault and robbery."

The court heard a total of £77,275 was stolen with just £8,875 recovered including cash dropped near the RBS.

DNA evidence also helped link Batten, Craig and Thomson to the raid.

Lord Matthews remanded the four in custody as sentencing was deferred for reports.