A “wide-eyed” drug addict who walked unannounced into the home of an Angus Alzheimers sufferer and his terminally-ill wife to demand a glass of water has been jailed for four months.
The elderly couple’s daughter was faced with “staring” Steven Hartley as she washed dishes in their Carnoustie cottage one evening last May, just hours after the 28-year-old had been granted bail after appearing at Forfar sheriff court.
Hartley, of North Bank Street, Monifieth, appeared for sentence at Forfar from custody, having 10 days ago received a two-year prison term at Dundee for supplying drugs and being in possession of CS spray.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said the Angus incident happened around 8.30pm when the couple’s daughter was staying with her parents to look after them, and she had left the house door open in anticipation of a carer arriving around that time.
“The witness heard the front door opening and thought it was the carer, but he (Hartley) sat down on a kitchen stool,” said Ms Drummond.
“She was shocked and the accused asked her: “How long has it taken for you to realise you have gone mad?”
The carer then arrived at the house and at first assumed Hartley was known to the woman because he was sitting in the kitchen. He was described as “wide-eyed and staring”.
She made an excuse to go back to her car and contacted her employers, and police arrived at the property soon after to find Hartley still on the kitchen stool.
“Officers immediately recognised him and he was handcuffed,” added the fiscal.
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said: “He pled guilty from the outset to this offence.
“He had gone to the address intoxicated, under the influence of an LSD-type drug.
“He has very little recollection of it and can give no explanation for his behaviour.”
Imposing a four-month consecutive prison term, Sheriff Robert Dickson said: “He was granted bail the day before, and then on the very day of the offence at this court.”
