A MAN took part in an armed raid despite claiming to be agoraphobic, a court was told.

John Stewart, 34, was "coaxed" from his home – a house he was said to have "rarely left" – and he and Gary Gibson, 35, then held up the nearby Shell garage in Portland Place, Hamilton, at gunpoint.

At the High Court in Glasgow, they admitted assault and robbery on July 10. They have more than 130 convictions between them and judge Rita Rae, QC, warned them to expect "significant" jail terms when they are sentenced later this month.

The court heard Gibson brandished a gun and told worker Sarah Brownhill: "Open the till or I will blow your head off."

CCTV footage showed Miss Brownhill cowering on the floor as Gibson climbed over the counter. He and Stewart fled with cash and cigarettes.

Lawyer Charles Ferguson said Stewart had taken 50 valium pills that day, which led Judge Rae to say she was amazed he "could stand, never mind take part in a robbery".