TWO men have been cleared of an armed raid on a couple’s Haldane home.

Marie Black, 57, told the High Court in Glasgow two men forced their way into her home on September 30, last year, and demanded money.

She was confronted by a gunman when she opened her door after hearing someone knocking late at night.

She was giving evidence at the trial of Joseph Boggis, 33, and Jonathon Bradley, 28, from Clydebank, who were cleared on charges of assaulting Mrs Black and her husband William, demanding money from them presenting a handgun and knife at them, and attempting to rob them. Mr Bradley was cleared after the charge against him was withdrawn and the charge against Mr Boggis was found not proven by the jury.

Both men said it was not them who had carried out the armed raid.

In her evidence at the High Court in Glasgow, Ms Black said she was downstairs watching television and her 63-year-old husband William was upstairs in bed sleeping when two men came to her door at around 11pm.

Ms Black said she answered the door because she was expecting news of an ill relative — but she was confronted by two men.

She said one of the men shouted: “Give us the f****** money. I’ve got a f****** gun.” Ms Black told advocate depute Lynsey Rodger, prosecuting: “They were pushing to get in. I got knocked down onto the stairs and got back up. I was shouting for my husband who was upstairs.” She was asked where the two men were and replied: “In the hall”.

She said she tried to get up the stairs because she thought her mobile was charging at the top of the stairs and she would be able to phone the police. However, she realised she was wrong and her phone wasn’t there.

Ms Black told the jury: “I tried to get back down into the hallway because I thought the two men would injure my husband.” The court heard that her husband, a tarmac contractor, then came down the stairs and grappled with the two intruders.

Ms Black added: “He was shouting at them to get out and said we’ve not got any money. He had just woken up. He was very shocked, but managed to get them out the door.” The court heard the two men who carried out the raid drove off at speed in a white car from the Black’s home in Buchanan Avenue, Balloch.