The man behind an Angus crime wave has been jailed after running out of options to keep his liberty.
Adam Smith-Huntsman’s catalogue of offences included shoplifting, assault, drugs possession and failing to appear in court.
He also broke into a local hospital – but was told by a sheriff that only the fact it was empty and unused had spared the 36-year-old addict from a much lengthier prison term.
Smith-Huntsman, of Emislaw Drive, Arbroath, appeared for sentence before Sheriff Gregor Murray after the serial thief and court-dodger had been given a chance by another sheriff near the start of the nationwide lockdown to stay out of trouble.
But he blew that opportunity and appeared from custody after spending the last two months on remand.
His offences included stealing two bottles of perfume from the Semichem store on St David Street, Brechin in April 2018 – and then doing the same thing the very next day.
Smith-Huntsman’s shoplifting also included alcohol and detergent from other Brechin stores, all while on bail.
The hospital break-in happened at Montrose Infirmary in July 2018 when he stole CCTV cameras, a CCTV monitor, a cassette recorder and turntable.
The last patients had left the hospital around three months earlier after the Bridge Street facility was ruled surplus to requirements by NHS bosses.
In March, Smith-Huntsman had been given a chance to stay out of trouble by a Dundee sheriff after appearing in the city’s court due to changes brought in as a result of the pandemic.
At that point he had already spent the previous two months on remand due to his catalogue of offending and repeated bail breaches and failures to appear in court.
Solicitor Billy Rennie admitted a background report before the court “didn’t offer much in the way of opportunity for anon-custodial sentence”.
“The hospital offence is not his usual sort of conduct,” said the solicitor.
“It was a derelict building and the items taken were moved and stacked on a stairway. That came to light as a result of DNA.
“A Restriction of Liberty Order is not suitable but he has now been on remand on these matters since August 12.”
Sheriff Murray told Smith-Hunstman: “Had that been a case in which you had broken into a working hospital you would have been going to prison for as long as I could give you and that would have been 12 months.”
Taking into account the time the accused had spent on remand, he sentenced Smith-Huntsman to 215 days.
