A drug addict who embarked on a crime spree in Falkland and Glenrothes has been jailed.
The court heard Steven Chalmers, of Lomond Crescent in Falkland, repeatedly offended by stealing from shops and failing to pay for taxis after being released from prison and having no access to benefits as a result of Universal Credit.
Sheriff Alison McKay imposed consecutive sentences of seven months and fourteen weeks after cases against Chalmers called at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
The sheriff said Chalmers, 30, had been guilty of “repeated offending over a short period of three or four weeks”.
Defence solicitor Dewar Spence said Chalmers, who was released from prison in February, had been driven to offend by drug withdrawal, which had left his client “rattling”.
He said: “Upon his liberation, he had no benefits for about five weeks. This is all down to Universal Credit.
“He also left prison still with a drug difficulty, particularly heroin.
“Although he had been on methadone at the time of his release, he was allocated to go to Glenrothes for the chemist. He had no money to get there.”
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Chalmers pled guilty to a total of 12 charges. Offences after March 13 were committed while he was on bail.
On March 29, in the Pleasance, Falkland, Chalmers rang the doorbell of a couple in their mid-sixties and asked to use their phone to call a taxi.
Depute fiscal Catherine Fraser told the court Chalmers asked for a glass of water and while the empty glass was being returned to the kitchen, he picked up a handbag and ran off.
The occupant of the house ran after him and Chalmers jumped over a wall into a neighbour’s garden.
“He shouted at Mr Chalmers to get out of his garden. He again jumped the wall and ran off.”
The neighbour then “gave chase”, said Miss Fraser. Chalmers was eventually stopped and the handbag was recovered.
On October 18 last year, just days before he was jailed, he offered a stolen laptop and bag, book reader and camera for sale at the CeX store in the Kingdom Shopping Centre, Glenrothes.
He stole toiletries from the Nisa store in Glenrothes on March 6 and two days later took a taxi from Lomond Crescent in Falkland to Cluny Place in Glenrothes with no intention of paying the £20 fare.
On March 15, 16, and 26, he again took taxis without paying. On March 27 he stole food from Scotmid and alcohol from M&S in Glenrothes.
Three charges were committed alongside a co-accused, Caron Hendry, 24.
Chalmers and Hendry, also of Lomond Crescent, stole food from Scott Robb Hairdressing in Falkland three times.
Hendry, 24, also stole alcohol from Aldi in Glenrothes.
She will return to court for sentencing on May 28.
