Dundee man caused £1,000 of damage trying to break into car while on street Valium

A man has been jailed for four months after he tried to break into a car with a wooden post, causing an estimated £1,000 of damage.

Michael Etchells, 28, told the owner of the car “I’m going” after he was caught hitting the vehicle with the implement at the car park of the District 10 office complex on Greenmarket.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that the owner had parked his car at the office at 1pm on March 25.

As he was returning to his car at around 5.30pm, he reported hearing a noise similar to “a football being kicked off the side of a building”.

Fiscal depute Gavin Burton told the court: “The complainer observed the accused close to the vehicle.

“At that time he observed the accused striking the vehicle with a wooden post, then used it to try to pry open the door of the vehicle.

“The complainer banged on the door of the building to get their attention – the accused then shouted towards him, ‘I’m going’.”

The police were called and Etechells was traced to the pedestrian footbridge over the railway, close to the Tesco Extra on Riverside Drive, where he was found with blood on his hands.

When cautioned and charged, he told officers: “I didn’t break into any cars.”

Solicitor Jim Laverty, in mitigation, said Etchells had been dealing with drug problems and had used so-called “street Valium” on the day of the offence.

“The position is that he had managed for a consider period of time to refrain from the use of illicit street Valium tablets,” he said.

“It would appear there were certain difficulties for Mr Etchells over the last couple of days…it would appear he had taken illicit Valium (that day).

“He has little or no recollection of the events but he pleads guilty at the first available opportunity and accepted there was some evidence in relation to this particular case.”

Etchells pleaded guilty to striking the vehicle with a wooden pole or similar implement and attempting to force the doors open with a view to committing theft.

An appeal by Mr Laverty for a community disposal was refused by Sheriff Lorna Drummond, who noted that Etchells had breached two community payback orders in the last two years.

She told Etchells: “You’ve got a long record and it does show you’ve committed offences fairly regularly.

“My view is given the record and breach of orders there isn’t any alternative today to sending you to jail.”

Etchells, of St Columba Gardens, was sentenced to four months in prison, reduced from six for his early plea, with an additional 27 days for breaching the terms of licence for a previous offence.