Lanarkshire offender with "horrific" criminal record jailed for stealing tools

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Lanarkshire offender with a "horrific" criminal record has been jailed after stealing tools worth £1000 from a garden in Blantyre.

Charles Donnelly, 58, was caught when police identified him from CCTV footage.Aga Mathieson, prosecuting, said he took a saw, an axe, a drill and other tools from a shed.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Donnelly, of Millands Avenue, Blantyre, admitted stealing the items in Stonefield Road on April 26, 2021.Hamilton Sheriff Court heard the theft happened at 3am, but police officers recovered all of the stolen goods when they searched Donnelly's home.His not guilty pleas to charges of attempting to break into Scotmid, Happy Season Chinese takeaway and Blantyre Veterinary Surgery, all in Stonefield Road, were accepted.Defence agent Jackson Bateman accepted Donnelly's record "does him no favours", but said there have been "substantial gaps" in his offending in recent years.The solicitor said: "His record is that of someone with substance misuse issues."He was struggling with drugs, but it seems he now has matters under control."But Sheriff John Hamilton jailed Donnelly for six months, reduced from eight because of his guilty plea.He told the accused: "I have listened carefully to everything said on your behalf, but the difficulty is your record which is quite horrific