A reluctant fugitive twice tried to hand himself into police but left after waiting for nearly an hour each time.
Kevin Hook was wanted in connection with theft, assault and threatening behaviour at two shops in Kirkcaldy.
Despite attending at two different police stations on different occasions, no officer spoke to him about his crimes.
On one occasion, the 51-year-old was asked for his postcode to check whether he was a wanted man.
Seeking help
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court Hook’s solicitor said he had fallen into drug misuse following a “crash” in his mental health.
David Bell said Hook was attempting to seek help by attending at Levenmouth and Kirkcaldy stations.
Hook later appeared in court on petition – a private hearing used for the most serious kinds of offences – after attacking a tourist from Belgium in front of her young grandchild.
Mr Bell said when attempting to turn himself in at Levenmouth police station his client had waited 45 minutes without response.
At Kirkcaldy police station on a different occasion he was “asked to provide his postcode to see if he was wanted” but did not know it.
Hook left after an hour of waiting without seeing an officer.
Theft and assault
Prior to trying to hand himself in, Hook had stolen three mobile phones from Fone City on the town’s High Street before taking another 10 from Ibits Phones further down the street.
At both stores he behaved in a threatening manner, while at Ibits he had assaulted a store worker.
Around a month later he assaulted a woman on holiday from Belgium by dragging her a “considerable distance” across the pavement while attempting to rob her of a handbag.
He then immediately went on to rob a pensioner of his mobile phone and wallet in a nearby block of flats.
Hook, currently a prisoner at Perth, admitted all seven charges against him.
Attacked tourist
Fiscal depute Douglas Thomson told the court Hook had suddenly turned on the Belgian woman as she and her six-year-old granddaughter waited for a bus.
Hook had asked the woman if any shops were open but she said she did not know as she was not local.
About 15 minutes “out of nowhere” he pulled on her handbag, which was over her shoulder and across her body.
“The accused pulled her to the ground and continued to pull the bag, whilst the complainer continued to make an effort to get the bag back.
“She was dragged a considerable distance after being pulled to the ground, being dragged over the concrete path to a grass area.”
Hook told the woman “just let go, it will be easier” as the she shouted for help.
Hook then ran off but appeared, out-of-breath, at a nearby block of flats.
He got into a lift with a male resident and then blocked him in to rob him of his possessions.
Apologies to victims
Mr Bell said: “Mr Hook knows the nature of the offences means there is no alternative to a custodial sentence.
“He’s asked me to send his apologies to those he has offended against.
“The record he has is a lengthy one and displays a life which has been defined by drug misuse and offending as a result of that.
“He was released from custody in about May.
“He was clean of illegal substances.”
He said Hook was rehomed following issues with previous accommodation and the end of his marriage but struggled from that point on.
“His mental health crashed and he turned to illegal substances.”
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane imposed a 32-month custodial sentence.
Following Tuesday’s hearing, a Police Scotland spokesman said: “A 51-year-old man was traced on Monday, August 1 and subsequently arrested and charged in connection with a series of incidents in the Kirkcaldy area which happened during June and July 2022.
“He subsequently appeared in court and was subsequently remanded in custody.”
