House raider is jailed... then freed after appeal

Aug 20 2008 by Our Correspondent, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

A BURGLAR was sentenced to six months in jail for stealing jewellery - then released minutes later.

Paul McManus, of 39 Greenwood Crescent, Coatbridge, admitted breaking into a house in the town’s Drummore Avenue.

The 28-year-old escaped with a haul of jewellery and an IPOD music player during the theft which took place in the early hours of April 12.

But after Sheriff John Morris handed him a six-month prison term at Airdrie Sheriff Court last week, an appeal was immediately submitted on McManus’s behalf by lawyer Colin Dunipace.

The thief was then released on bail on an interim basis pending the result of the appeal.

The court was told that the home McManus had broken into was occupied by a woman and her daughter.

Prosecutor Pauline Thornton said: “The daughter woke up at about 4.45am after hearing a banging noise. She then saw the accused on the left-hand side of her bed.

“He left the bedroom and went out the front door.

“ The daughter noticed that her bedside cabinets were open and a number of jewellery items were missing.

“The front panel of a glass door had also been cracked.”

McManus was snared when CCTV footage spotted him taking jewellery out of his pockets. He lied to police that he was “given the stuff” by a “hoodie” at a party.

But during a police interview, he admitted thieving the items from the house. These were later recovered.

Mr Dunipace told the court his client, who lives alone, had alcohol and substance abuse problems.

He said: “He has had certain difficulties in the past and suffers from depression.

“This is a very serious matter and he knows it must have been extremely upsetting for the person involved.”

The lawyer claimed: “He is deeply ashamed and expresses his deep remorse. He doesn’t appear to have realised what he was doing.”

Sheriff Morris said the offence warranted a custodial sentence and added: “This must have been a terrifying experience for the young person concerned.”