Nathan Ritchie had been working for a practice in Dundee – but was made redundant last summer without a severance package.

Dundee Sheriff Court was told yesterday that Mr Ritchie changed into a full black outfit in an alleyway before robbing the William Hill branch in Broughty Ferry last July.

The court heard he pulled a knife on a worker and demanded she empty the safe.

Depute Stewart Duncan told the court that Ritchie entered the bookmakers and jumped over the counter.

Mr Duncan said: “He then pulled out a large knife with a black handle and pointed it at her. She pushed the alarm button but he pushed it to turn it off. He demanded money while walking towards her pointing the knife at her chest.”

Mr Ritchie, who stole £716 in the process, handed himself in to police later that day.

Mr Duncan said: “He said he wanted to hand himself in for a robbery earlier that day. He freely stated ‘it’s not fair on the staff’ and said he was feeling guilty.

“He said he had lost his job as an architect six weeks prior to this.”

Defence solicitor Anika Jethwa said: “He is aware of the sentence that the court will have in mind for this matter.”

Mr Ritchie admitted a charge of robbery and will be sentenced in March.

Sheriff Tom Hughes deferred sentence for reports and remanded the 38-year-old in custody.

He said: “It is abundantly clear this is a very, very serious matter and obviously the court will have to take it seriously.”

A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to Nathan Ritchie as an architect. It has since been brought to our attention that Mr Ritchie is not registered with the Architects Registration Board.