Published: Wednesday, 13th May, 2009 2:10pm

Victims tell of terrifying armed robberies ordeal

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A HEROIN addict who carried out a spate of terrifying robberies in Renfrewshire appeared in court this week.

William Wingate threatened shop workers with a knife and carried out raids in Johnstone, Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Lochwinnoch.

The 28-year-old of Paisley was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of four armed robberies between July 19 and August 15 last year.

The sick thug targeted the Somerfield supermarket in Bridge of Weir but met his match in the form of 62-year-old Patricia McPhail.

The bookmaker"s worker from Johnstone stood up to Wingate when she saw him attempt to steal from the shop.

She confronted the knife-wielding junkie before he escaped with around £70.

Slightly-built Patricia said: 'I grabbed hold of him and hit him with my basket.

'I just thought - you can"t get away with that.

'It was very unnerving appearing in court - I"m glad it"s all over.'

The High Court jury was shown CCTV footage of the raid on the Spar shop in Lochwinnoch in which Wingate threatens workers Dorothy Hayes and Zoey Munn.

Zoey, now 17, said: 'My colleague Dorothy let him in behind the counter to get money from the till because he had a knife.

'He took cash out but we didn"t try to stop him - it was terrifying.

'I couldn"t have come back to work if he had got out of jail.'

Wingate also held up isolated bookies shop Scotbet in the Spateston area of Johnstone (pictured right) and the Keystore grocery shop in Bishopton.

Whilst in police custody, Wingate concocted a bizarre and unsuccessful method of disguise in a bid to avoid being picked out as the culprit.

He was due to face an identity parade after witnesses said the attacker had 'drawn in' features, so stuffed his cheeks with toilet paper and shaved off his eyebrows.

Judge Lady Stacey deferred sentencing in the case until later this month for reports and to assess the full danger Wingate presents to the public.

He was cleared of using a machete to assault and rob staff at a post office in Main Street, Bridge of Weir, on August 7.

Prosecutor Jock Thomson QC revealed after the verdicts that Wingate, formerly of Well Street, Paisley had a lengthy criminal record dating back to when he was 16.

This included convictions for dishonesty, theft and housebreaking.

He was jailed for five years in 2000 after he and an accomplice targeted students from Paisley University halls of residence.

The group were told they would be killed if they did not hand over their belongings.

A Greek student was slashed and robbed the following day.

A judge at the time said the victims had been 'terrorised' in what was an 'appalling set of crimes'.

Wingate will appear at the High Court in Edinburgh on May 29 for sentencing.