A Dundee publican whose family’s Christmas was ruined by a “one-man crime spree” who stole their car and all of their presents has slammed the raider’s jail sentence.
Steven Stewart, 29, broke into Andy Wightman’s Americanmuir Road home last December and stole gifts and cash before making off in the family’s Audi Q5.
Stewart, who has a string of previous convictions for motoring offences, was jailed for 39 months and banned from the road for 10 years.
Mr Wightman, 51, the leaseholder of two pubs in Dundee and licensed premises in Aberdeen, said: “I don’t think 39 months is long enough and what’s the point of a 10-year driving ban?
“People like him don’t worry if they’ve got a driving licence or not.”
Stewart admitted the thefts, along with eight other offences, at Dundee Sheriff Court. Mr Wightman said that he was disappointed not to be in court for Stewart’s sentence.
He said: “I was asked to be ready to give evidence and even though he did not go to trial, I still wanted to be there to see what happened to him.”
Stewart, a prisoner at Perth, admitted 10 charges in total including three charges of theft, three of reset, two of taking and driving away a motor vehicle, one of driving while disqualified and one of driving without insurance.
Kevin Hampton, defending, said his client knew he was facing a lengthy prison sentence.
He said: “He was released from an earlier two-year sentence for misuse of drugs offences last April and things were going well.
“But they went off the rails around the time of these offences.
“He expresses remorse for stealing people’s Christmas presents and he realises the absolutely appalling nature of that and wants to apologise for that.”
Sheriff George Way told Stewart: “You accept that this one-man crime spree is inevitably going to bring you a long custodial sentence.”
He continued: “I won’t waste time with lectures. You know perfectly well you have put yourself in a difficult situation.”