A cash-machine raider caught after his fingerprints were found in their broken-down getaway car has launched an appeal to have his sentence slashed.
Michael Broomfield was jailed for four years and four months in June over his role as part of a gang who used a digger in the late-night smash-and-grab raid on the ATM at Scotmid Foods, Craigour Road, Torphins.
Chains were attached to the cash machine to lift it into the boot of a gold Chrysler car. But the getaway was foiled when the car broke down – and Broomfield’s fingerprint was found on the vehicle.
He has launched a bid to have his sentence cut. He initially lodged a note of appeal in June but that application was thrown out.
But Broomfield then requested a review of that decision and will learn whether or not a hearing will be granted later this week.
Depute fiscal Sally McAuley previously told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the digger had been stolen from a building site.
She said at around 1.40am on February 28 a witness near the shop heard an alarm sounding followed by “loud banging” and male voices shouting “come on”.
She said: “They saw the males force entry to the shop and attach chains to the ATM.”
They witnessed the men using the digger to lift the ATM into the boot of the car. Ms McAuley said at around 2am another witness came across the gold Chrysler unoccupied with the engine running.
She said: “The witness saw the boot was open and there was an ATM lying on the road directly behind the vehicle.”
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She said the cash machine would cost around £3,500 to replace and contained more than £44,000 at the time. All the money was recovered.
Broomfield was identified in various CCTV images.
Ms McAuley said: “Fingerprints were recovered from the Chrysler’s driver’s door and found to match the accused.”
Broomfield, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, had pled guilty to the theft of a vehicle and to breaking into Scotmid and stealing an ATM, all while acting along with others.
Fenwick, of Low Moss prison in Glasgow, had driven the digger.
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