Inverness robber who threatened couple with hammer jailed for 22 months
A 20-year-old Inverness man has been sentenced to 22 months in detention after he went on an armed robbery rampage for three months last summer wielding a baseball bat, hammer and a screwdriver to threaten four of his victims.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Daniel Krogulec, whose address was given as Inverness Prison, was 19 when he committed three of his offences with another three carried out days after his 20th birthday on August 2 last year.
He previously appeared by video link before Sheriff Sara Matheson and admitted charges of threatening behaviour; two of assault and robbery; one of assault and attempted robbery and one of assault.
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He reappeared for sentencing before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald who read a background report before proceeding to sentence.
The court learned that Krogulec's first offence occurred about 12.25am on June 19 last year and involved him approaching a food delivery driver who had attended an address in St Valery Avenue, Inverness to hand over a takeaway to a woman.
Fiscal depute Emily Hood told the court at the earlier hearing that, when payment was required, Krogulec produced a metal bat and said: "You want money or this?" while pointing the bat at the deliveryman.
Later the same night, the court heard that Krogulec met a 13 year old boy in Montague Row in Inverness at about 10pm and threatened him with a baseball bat after telling him: "I like your jacket. Can I have it? Give it to me now.”
Ms Hood said: "Krogulec swung the bat at the youth who tried to kick it away before running away and contacting the police."
The following day, a man received a message from the accused on a dating site asking to meet him in Lidl's car park at 10pm.
"He got into the car and asked that they stop at the Jammy Piece car park in Telford Street so he could go to the toilet,” Ms Hood said.
"The witness noticed another female nearby he had seen with the accused previously and becoming suspicious, he asked the accused to get out of the car.
“At this point, the accused began brandishing a screwdriver while the female entered the car, aiming it at the driver's neck and stating’it's your car or your life.'
"The accused reached over and took the keys from the ignition and got out of the car, taking the driver's mobile phone from his hand, and then left."
The final three offences occurred in Huntly Street at about 1am on August 6 when Krogulec stopped a man and a woman while wielding a hammer, which he swung at them.
The woman dropped her handbag, which was valued at £300. Krogulec picked it up and ran away.
The contents including a mobile phone and a debit card were found later but the bag was never recovered.
Defending, Marc Dickson said: "He has taken advantage while on remand since August 8, 2024 of various courses open to him and is no longer drug dependent after detoxification. He is ashamed of himself and the way he behaved.
"At the time of these offences he was heavily drug and alcohol dependent, but it does not excuse his actions."
Sheriff Macdonald told Krogulec: "This was a course of conduct carried out over a three month period. Assault and robbery is one of the most serious.
“If you had been over the age of 25 the sentence would have been significantly more."
The period was backdated to his date of remand.
