Robber faces jail for hold-up in 1992

Grandfather Paul Hamilton, 48, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court yesterday to robbing the former Northern Rock building society, in Albion Place, Leeds, of £1,800 on August 27, 1992.

Since the robbery, the court heard, he has led a blameless life but justice caught up with him following an anonymous tip-off from the Crimestoppers hotline.

Police subsequently found his fingerprints matched samples taken from the crime committed at Northern Rock.

Although much of the evidence had been eradicated – because of flooding and asbestos problems at a secure office at a Wakefield police site where the evidence had been stored – the police were able to make their arrest in January.

After being told he would be sentenced to several years in prison by Judge Alistair McCallum, Hamilton, whose most recent job has included delivering laundry, told the Yorkshire Post he would be spending his final night of freedom surrounded by his family at home.

Hamilton of Chalice Close, Belle Isle, Leeds, said: “I’m just sorry I have not been able to apologise personally to the cashier (Chloe Owens).

“In January when the police called I was having a gin-and-tonic at home and they were all over the place and I ended up finishing the bottle.”

The judge said Hamilton had been “unfortunate” to have been detected so long after having committed his crime.

He said: “It’s just one of those things. You could only have made it up in a novel.

“You can remain on bail in the interim, I am going to trust you that you are going to be back here tomorrow. I am not going to pretend that I am not going to sentence you to a prison sentence.”

A spokesman for Northern Rock declined to comment.