An armed robber took legal highs before raiding two stores in the north-east within days of being released early from prison.
Desperate Ewan Hardie pointed a knife at a shopkeeper in Peterhead and forced her to hand over more than £1,000.
The next day he struck again at Newburgh Post Office, saying he had a gun.
After escaping with £970, he offered members of the public cash to drive him to Turriff.
Yesterday, Hardie appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh and admitted assaulting and robbing staff at both stores on consecutive days in February.
The 42-year-old serial criminal was jailed for 16 months for assault and housebreaking last year. He was freed on licence on January 21.
The court heard that shop assistant Ela Kadlubowska was working alone at the Micro Movies convenience store in Peterhead’s Chapel Street when Hardie robbed her.
The till was opened and Hardie lunged forward and grabbed all the bank notes – about £1,300.
Hardie went to a taxi office and got a lift to Aberdeen, the court heard. Staff noticed he had a large number of £20 notes with him.
The next day, Laura Adams was working at Newburgh Post Office when Hardie barged in. He shouted at her: “I’ve got a gun.”
Hardie began to kick a door which gave access to the area behind the counter and shouted that he was going to shoot.
He eventually booted a hole in the door, crawled through and snatched money from the till.
He was caught as he tried to persuade people in Newburgh to drive him to Turriff. was found to have £970 in a jacket pocket and a further £500 in a wallet.
When interviewed, he denied any involvement with the robberies.
His counsel, advocate Shahid Latif, said Hardie had taken “legal highs” at the time of the offences.
Judge Lady Scott deferred sentence until next month for background reports.