A blood-soaked Angus raider caught with a four-figure haul from a high street fashion shop has been jailed for a year.
Ben Kelbie had smashed his way into the Arbroath town centre premises while under the influence, before helping himself to clothes, trainers, cash and five mobile phones.
The 20-year-old was in such a state he was soon caught by police, still pouring blood onto the £2,000 worth of stolen goods.
Kelbie, of Glenogil Drive, Arbroath had previously admitted breaking into Arkive and Tech City Stores in Arbroath High Street on June 11 last year.
Sentence had been deferred to obtain a background report but Kelbie appeared handcuffed in the dock at Forfar Sheriff Court after being held in custody for a string of other offences over the festive period.
He pled guilty to stealing alcohol from the Co-op in Mayfield in Arbroath on December 21 and taking a mountain bike from outside the shop on the same date.
Kelbie also admitted stealing a motorbike from Fairport Road, Arbroath on December 29. He was on four bail orders at the time.
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said: “All of his offending is linked to drugs misuse and his chaotic lifestyle, there is no planning involved.
“In relation to the shop in Arbroath, he literally smashed his way into the premises and the police found him soaked in blood.
“He took the motorbike to a friend’s address and asked for help but the matter was then put on Facebook and he was traced.
“He is on a community payback order at the moment and has never received a custodial sentence before, but has been remanded since January 3,” said Mr Markowski.
Sheriff Murray told Kelbie: “It is always unfortunate when a young person requires to be sent to custody but there is no alternative.
“The breaking and entering was a significant crime and one for which you could quite easily have appeared on indictment.
“The significant problem on the new complaint is that there were a number of bail aggravations.”
