A legal highs addict has been jailed for nine months and 40 days for a string of Angus offences.
Sheriff Gregor Murray at Forfar told Norman Gunn there was “no realistic alternative” to prison after the 29-year-old’s guilty pleas to charges including shoplifting, breach of bail and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards his partner.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said Gunn, of Newton Crescent, Arbroath, had five complaints before the court and had been on remand since December 17.
“He has a lengthy record with the courts and prison and his starting point for these offences relates to a domestic incident with his partner in August,” said the solicitor.
“I think it is fair to say she is no shrinking violet and does not put up with any nonsense from him or any drug misuse in the home.
“He was given special bail conditions to remain away from her, moved away and became involved with peers.
“Legal highs started to feature and a catalogue of matters came before the court up until the point he was remanded in December,” said Mr Rennie.
“By that time the legal highs had taken something of a hold of him he missed the Christmas period and has burned his bridges with his partner to some extent.
“He had been liberated from a 12-month sentence in February last year and stayed out of trouble until August, which, given his previous record, is perhaps no mean achievement.”
“There was a strong indication that he was getting away from his previous involvement with drugs and he is welcome back at his partner’s home.
Sheriff Murray told Gunn: “You have had reasonably recent attempts to resolve things out of court but you failed a drug treatment and testing order and you abused your partner’s attempts to help you.
“In your case, I don’t think there is a realistic alternative to prison.”