I hope you'll die in prison, sister tells armed robber

THE sister of a gunman who staged an armed raid on the home of another sibling today said she hoped he would die in prison after "ripping the family apart".

Peter Marshall was jailed for nine and a half years yesterday after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh found him guilty of robbing the home of his sister, Petrena Smits, in Pilton.

During the raid, the 39-year-old levelled what appeared to be a gun at the face of his niece Natasja Smits, who was 15.

His sister, Ann Bell, said the schoolgirl, now 16, had been traumatised by the ordeal which took place on March 30 in Ferry Road Drive.

The 40-year-old cleaner said Marshall had carried out the raid to fund his drug habit, making off with the contents of a safe worth £45,000.

Mrs Bell, who lives in Falkirk with her husband and their children, said the court case had created a rift with her other siblings, Duncan, 46, Joanne, 47, Billy, 45, and Pat, 35.

Mrs Smits, 43, has taken Natasja to live in Germany along with son Arnold, 16, following the raid. Her husband is Dutch and the family toured with carnivals across Europe until moving back to the Capital last year, although the couple are now separated.

Mrs Smits told the court that the stolen safe, whose contents were never recovered, contained £20,000 in cash from the sale of her other son Nathan's business interests in a carnival, as well as jewellery.

Mrs Bell said: "Peter carried out that robbery because he wanted money for drugs. He was always in prison and he would become addicted again while he was inside. Before this happened, he had been arguing with Petrena because she was refusing to give him any more money. The money had come from Nathan's business. He lived in a caravan so he didn't want to keep it there."

She added: "Peter stuck the gun in the face of his own niece. That's how much of an evil lowlife he is. I hope he only gets out of prison in a body bag after what's he's done. I wish the sentence had been longer.

"Natasja is too scared to live in Scotland now. She didn't want to come back to give evidence at the trial. Now I can't see my niece, nephew or sister. It's ripping our family apart."

Marshall, who did not try to disguise himself, was with an accomplice, who wore a balaclava and has still not been traced.

Marshall, of West Pilton Road, denied the robbery, claiming he was at home with his mother. But a jury, by a majority, rejected his alibi and found him guilty.

Sentencing Marshall, who has a long record for housebreaking, assaults and carrying weapons, judge Lord Uist said he was "a seasoned criminal". He told Marshall: "This was an outrageous piece of lawlessness which must attract a long sentence."