THE four men who tied up and terrorised a Lochore businessman changed their plea only hours into a High Court trial in Edinburgh.

Gary Carcary (20), from East Kilbride; Mark Dickie (28), from Johnstone; John McLeese (28), of Ardrossan; and Andrew Dickinson (28) of Paisley, had on Wednesday, denied assaulting and and robbing Ian Masteron of £90,000 on 26th September 2013.

When the case opened at the High Court before Judge John Morris QC, Mr Masterton described how he had been tied up by the raiders who then demanded to be told where he kept his cash.

Mr Masterton told how he was threatened with an axe and and also that he would be suffocated if he did not supply the in formation they neeed.

There was also a threat that if he did not supply the cash they would return later for his son.

He eventually gave them the cash and they left the scene after, which he managed to raise the alarm and it started a major police hunt.

At that stage the defence agents indicated that their clients were going to change their pleas to guilty.

Advocate Depute Jim Keegan QC, told the Court that if the trial had continued there would have been substantial evidence over text messages mainly emanating from Carcary but involving all four accused.

This would, he indicated, have been very indicative of their involvement in the crime which occurred in Lochore.

Judge Morris deferred sentence on Carcary, Dickie, Dickinson and McLeese, until March for background reports and they were remanded in custody.