A housebreaker who robbed an elderly woman avoided jail after telling a sheriff he did not want to go to back to prison.
Nathan Taylor stole his vulnerable victim’s wedding ring and wrestled with her and a friend as they tried to stop him making his getaway.
Taylor – who has a long list of previous convictions and was on bail at the time – broke into the woman’s home while she was in the garden.
Sheriff Robert More addressed Taylor directly in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court and asked him: “Do you want to go back to jail?”
Taylor replied: “Not really, no.”
The sheriff granted him bail and said: “I’m giving you an opportunity here.
“I could have given you a 12-month sentence, do you understand that?
“You should go for the social work report and acquit yourself as best you can.
“Please don’t mess it up.”
‘Looking for Willie’
Taylor, 31, of Kestrel Way, Perth, admitted stealing a jewellery box, jewellery, a purse and its contents from a home in Florence Place, Perth, on April 26.
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie told the court: “This was theft from an elderly woman’s address.
“During the day the door was unlocked and he gained access while she was in the garden.
“It transpired that she tried to get back in and found the door locked.
“Herself and a neighbour saw a shadow in the property.
“The accused goes to exit and states he was ‘looking for Willie.’
“They noticed he had a jewellery box protruding from his pocket and he was challenged.
“He refused to empty his pockets and tried to leave.
“They tried to stop him leaving but he broke free and ran off down the street.
“He dropped a pair of earrings.
“The lady identified a number of items were missing.
“There was a gold wedding band, a purse containing approximately £150, and another gold ring.
“The total value was £455 and only the £40 earrings were recovered.”
‘Difficulty with drugs’
She told the court Taylor was apprehended at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee on Wednesday morning and was subsequently arrested and held in custody.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: “He does not remember what he was doing.
“He has a difficulty with drugs. He is apologetic for what has taken place.
“He is realistic about where he is likely to end up.
“There will be adverse publicity about this and that will not go down well if he is returned to custody.”
‘Revulsion’ over theft
Sheriff More said: “It is not the value of the items he stole, as such, but the general scene of it all.
“These two people tried to stop him.
“That’s the most disconcerting aspect of it and the real aggravating feature to the case.
“I appreciate it to you it might just be a theft but the wider circumstances provoke revulsion, whether that’s in prison or in the community.
“That’s what Mr Holmes has identified as being a feature of the case, which means custody is close to being inevitable.
“By the same token it can perhaps be said that your recent spell in custody hasn’t had the desired impact as far as the public are concerned.
“However, you have accessed support since you were released on 8 April.
“You have been around the block long enough to know what we are discussing.”
He deferred sentence for reports and granted Taylor bail with a special condition not to return to Florence Place.
