Airdrie Sheriff Court Casebook: August 15, 2010

Sep 15 2010 Airdrie & Coatbridge

A THIEF caught stealing bottles of vodka from a Tesco store in Coatbridge was jailed when he appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

Kieran Gribben, of Muiryhall Street in Coatbridge, committed the offence on August 28 last year. The 39-year-old also stole a packet of bread rolls.

It was noticed that he had the bottles of alcohol in a basket when he took clothes into the changing rooms of the store. He was then observed cutting the electronic tags from the vodka bottles.

When he was challenged by staff he became aggressive, told them to ‘f*** off’ and began flailing his arms about.

The goods were recovered but there was a £14 cost in replacing the electronic tags.

Gribben’s solicitor admitted his client had a heroin problem and added: “His record is unimpressive and his behaviour in this case is also unimpressive.”

Sentencing the shoplifter to the prison term, Sheriff Robert Dickson said: “This was a planned theft where you cut off the tags.

“You’ve had the chance before to complete community service; you will be sentenced to five months.”

A MAN who was involved in a pub rammy had his sentence deferred when he appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

Mark McLellan (35), of Centenary Gardens in Coatbridge, received an injury in the fracas at the Corner Room pub in Wallace Street on February 5 this year.

The charge against McLellan was that he committed a breach of the peace by shouting and swearing, challenging patrons in the pub to fight and slamming a door.

Depute procurator fiscal Kate Fleming said: “Witnesses in the pub have refused to co-operate. The accused did receive an injury.”

Sheriff Robert Dickson responded to this saying: “It’s my understanding that he walked into a pub where he was not a regular and was asked to leave and then a fight started.”

The sheriff then asked McLellan’s defence agent: “What do you want me to do in one word; admonish, probation, community service – well, that’s two words?”

Sentence was deferred until January 26 next year.

A SHOPLIFTER who stole goods from a Tesco store was fined £200 at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

Laura McVey (21), of Calder Street, Coatbridge, stole items totalling £173.01 from the Tesco Extra store at Farady Retail Park in the town on February 16 this year.

The court was told that her boyfriend had cancer.

Sentencing McVey, Sheriff Robert Dickson said: “Given the timing of your plea and your circumstances, I’m fining you £200.

A JOINER from Coatbridge took exception to police officers who asked him to get off the road.

Michael Hunstone (18), of Ailsa Road in the town, was walking with another person in the middle of the road in Woodside Street when a mobile police unit appeared.

Depute fiscal Kate Fleming described the incident: “The police officers observed two males in the middle of the road. As they couldn’t get past they asked them to get off the road.

“The accused began to shout and swear, telling the officers to ‘f*** off you w****rs’ and was arrested for breach of the peace.”

The teenager was ordered to carry out 150 hours of community service.

Hunstone was on probation at the time of the offence and was also fined £500 for breaching the conditions of that order.

A STRUGGLE with officers in a police vehicle on its way to Motherwell Police Office led to a 29-year-old Coatbridge man being jailed for three months.

During the incident at Cheviot Court, Airdrie, on July 5, 2009, Gerard McGinlay committed a breach of the peace by shouting and swearing and struggling with police officers.

McGinlay was on bail at the time of the offence. He was also found guilty of breaking a curfew imposed on him by a court.

SENTENCE was deferred on a woman who caused a breach of the peace by shouting and swearing in a back garden in Airdrie.

Kayreen Finnigan (32), of Mossview Crescent, committed the offence at Kelvin Drive between July 17 and 18 this year.

Finnigan’s solicitor said: “Her problems stem from drug and alcohol abuse but she has abstained from intoxicants since July this year.”

Sentence was deferred until September 29 for social inquiry reports.