A 71-year-old who led a double life in which he would "get boozed at lunch time" and rob banks is set to be sentenced after pleading guilty to robberies from more than 40 years ago.
Ross Oliver McCarty, was giving evidence at his sentence hearing in Sydney when he "unreservedly apologised' to the victims he threatened during a string of hold-ups in 1977 and 1978.
The former floor trader has pleaded guilty to four robberies and asked the judge to take into account another four crimes which took place over 10 months.
Earlier this month McCarty appeared in the NSW District Court after advancements in fingerprint technology led to him being arrested at his Edgecliff home in 2018.
McCarty read out a letter in court addressed to those he had threatened, saying he had deluded himself at the time into believing his "appalling actions were justified".
"I truly hope you have been able to recover from the trauma I inflicted on you many years ago," he said.
McCarty told Judge Sarah Huggett at the time he had outstanding gambling debts and had received threats of violence if left unpaid.
He viewed his arrest as an opportunity to "rid the demons" and confessed to an armed robbery with which he had not been charged.
McCarty has not gambled in more than 30 years and has abstained from alcohol since 1989.
He is due to be sentenced by Judge Huggett on Friday.
