A HADDINGTON man is facing a jail sentence after he attempted to extort money from his own mother.

Connor Sands threatened to set fire to the woman's house while she was asleep inside if she did not hand over a quantity of cash to him.

Sands, of Abbots View, also issued threats to kill or injure the woman’s partner and to destroy his business assets, including motor vehicles, if she did not comply with his demands.

The 29-year-old was due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for sentencing last Thursday after previously pleading guilty to the offence.

Sheriff Kenneth Campbell KC was told that Sands was currently serving a custodial sentence on another matter and had not been brought to court for his sentencing hearing.

Sheriff Campbell agreed to further defer sentence to for the accused’s personal appearance.

Sands admitted to menacing his mother, and putting her in a state of fear that she would be injured or killed, and that her partner would be injured or killed, between June 24 and August 14, 2021.

The indictment also stated that Sands threatened to destroy the business assets of the man and that persons would attend his mother’s home and use violence against the couple, while he also threatened to set fire to her home while she was asleep and attempted to extort money from her.