A bogus water board worker attacked and terrorised an elderly couple in their home.

Andrew Beech, 25, travelled from his home in Sheffield with two accomplices to the pensioners' address in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire.

The high court heard how Beech and his two other men forced their way into the couple's property and demanded £20,000 from them on September 12, 2017.

The men claimed they were from the water board and needed to test the water in the house.

They assaulted the 79-year-old man and his 76-year-old wife, restrained them and ransacked the house, before leaving with a few hundred pounds in cash.

The court heard during the violent incident the elderly man was thrown onto the floor, jumped on and pressed so hard into the hallway carpet that he could not move.

His wife was grabbed from behind in the dining room, pulled on to a chair and restrained.

Her attacker put a gloved hand over her face and pulled her head back forcefully.

Prosecutor Jane Farquharson said: "The couple's descriptions were of a terrifying and fast-moving incident where both were restrained from behind and threatened to ensure their silence and immobility."

Judge Lord Ericht heard how Beech was caught because he left behind cable ties that detectives believe he planned on using to restrain used to restrain 79-year-old man and 76-year-old woman.

Detectives found enough evidence to link Beech to the crime.

The officers managed to arrest him and he was convicted of the September 12, 2017 assault and robbery following proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow earlier this month.

Sentence was deferred to the High Court in Edinburgh in order for Lord Ericht to obtain reports on the crook's character.

Beech was remanded in custody to Low Moss Prison in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire.

On Friday, defence advocate Allan Macleod said Beech maintained he was innocent any wrong doing.

He also said his client was concerned for his daughter's welfare.

He added: "His four-year-old daughter is unaware that her father is in custody. She thinks he is at work.

"He describes it as difficult. He doesn't want his daughter to become aware of the situation."

However, Lord Ericht told Beech that jail was the only option available to him.

He added: "For the sake of a few hundred pounds you launched a criminal enterprise from Sheffield.

"It was a carefully planned robbery against an elderly couple in their own home.

"The sentence will be one of three years."