A career crook who was urged by a sheriff to find another line of work is back behind bars after being caught lurking in a staff store cupboard at WH Smith’s in Perth.
Steven Flynn was spotted acting suspiciously at the city centre store by a plain clothes police officer.
The 36-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted being in the “staff only” area without lawful authority on June 23 this year with intent to steal.
Flynn, who was locked up in 2016 for a break-in at McDiarmid Park, was told, given his record, jail was inevitable.
Staff Only
Fiscal depute Stuart Hamilton told the court: “At about 10.40am, officers were on patrol on plain clothes duty.
“They entered the shop and recognised the accused.
“Officers observed him walking into a store cupboard to look around.”
The fiscal depute said: “The door has a ‘staff only’ sign. It is where staff keep their valuables.”
When Flynn stepped back into the shop, one of the officers ran towards him and identified herself as police.
“She restrained him in the cupboard, due to it being safer than in an open space,” Mr Hamilton said.
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said: “He knows that custody will follow for this.”
Deterrent
Sheriff John MacRitchie told Flynn: “I’m restricted by statute to a maximum sentence of three months imprisonment.
“Standing your record there is no other sentence appropriate.”
He added: “I take into account the seriousness of this offence.
“It is made particularly serious by the aggravation of your innumerable analogous or similar previous convictions.”
Jailing Flynn for two months, the sheriff added: “This sentence is necessary in order to provide a deterrent to you and others from acting in this particular fashion.”
Career guidance
Last year, Flynn appeared in court after he was caught trying to raid the Leonard Boutique Hotel in Huntingtower.
He was found lounging behind the reception desk, before fleeing empty handed having tried to force up a cash drawer.
Sheriff Euan Duthie told him: “Get yourself another line of work – you’re really bad at this.”
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