A Montrose man who bungled a dessert parlour break-in while high on Street Valium must cough up the cash he does not remember stealing.
Shaun Lovie disturbed neighbours with loud banging in the small hours of the morning when he dipped the tills at Oh Fudge.
He was later caught with the Bluetooth speaker he also took.
Lovie returned to the dock to be sentenced having previously admitted the break-in, as well as a domestic assault and damaging the door of T Duncan lawyers offices.
The 41-year-old must repay the cash he stole and has been placed on a curfew.
Midnight snack
At Forfar Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Sam Craib explained a neighbour of the Montrose dessert shop became aware of banging in the early hours of the morning.
When the business owner arrived later that morning, they found the padlock missing from the outer doors.
Inside, the till was “severely damaged” and £250 was gone.
A Bluetooth speaker had also been taken.
Police attended and soon traced Lovie at his home.
He had the speaker with him, and its serial number matched the one in the box at Oh Fudge.
“The accused claimed he found it and claimed he was going to phone the police,” Mr Craib added.
On another occasion, police attended at T Duncan and Co lawyers to investigate a potential break-in.
They found “splashes of blood” around the beading of the glass panel which proved to be Lovie’s.
He made a full admission and said he’d confused the office for his own address.
Guilty
Lovie previously admitted that on March 10 in 2022, he broke into Oh Fudge on John Street in Montrose and stole £250 and a speaker.
He also admitted damaging the door of T Duncan and Co lawyers in North Street in March or April that year.
Lovie was previously listed in court papers as being of no fixed abode.
However, his solicitor Keith Sym explained the damage at the North Street legal practice was a mistaken bid to get into his upstairs flat.
He explained his client had lasted from 2012 until 2021 without offending.
“He has shown the ability to keep himself out of difficulty.
“He had developed a problem with Valium.
“He has very little recollection of these events.
“I think he accepts the evidence against him – he doesn’t remember.
“He was presented with the evidence.”
Punishment
Sheriff Derek Reekie ordered Lovie to pay £250 compensation.
He placed him under supervision for a year and on a 7pm to 7am restriction of liberty order for 80 days.
The sheriff said: “You’ve obviously no recollection and substances are clearly at the root of this.
“If you breach any of these orders you’ll be referred back to the court.”
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