Thief nabbed car tax disc

A thief who stole an item from a car will have to carry out unpaid work in the community.

John James McIntyre entered the parked vehicle on Wood Street, Coatbridge, on November 24 last year.

He was also found in another vehicle on the same day, where it was inferred the devious 25-year-old intended to commit a crime.

McIntyre, from Hutchison Place in Coatbridge, pleaded guilty to both charges and was sentenced at Airdrie Sheriff Court last Wednesday after reports into his background were completed.

Defence solicitor Rowan Myles spoke in mitigation of his client: “He has co-operated with the compilation of the reports and would co-operate fully with unpaid work. “He pled guilty from custody.” Sheriff Frank Pieri told McIntyre: “As a direct alternative to custody, I will make a community payback order with 105 hours’ unpaid work, reduced from 150 due to your plea of guilty.

“You will do these hours within the next six months.”

One final chance

A frustrated sheriff has given a Shawhead teenager who placed others in a state of fear “one final chance” to avoid spending time behind bars for failing to comply with reports into his background.

Chancer Lee MacDonald claims he had slept in for appointments with the court’s social work department were met with cynicism by an unimpressed Sheriff Frank Pieri.

MacDonald is awaiting sentencing on his destructive behaviour at a property on William Street, near his Clunie Place home, where he arrived uninvited and began repeatedly banging on the window.

He then shouted and swore on numerous occasions before kicking doors and forcing open a window to enter the house without permission.

The 18- year- old then smashed a phone and damaged a window blind in his foul-tempered tirade on July 25 last year, which also saw him breach court bail conditions by approaching and contacting a woman in the house at the time.

MacDonald pled guilty to all three charges at Airdrie Sheriff Court and returned to court last week after a deferral for background reports.

However, defence solicitor Mark Lutton told the court the report on his client were unavailable.

Mr Lutton added: “I invite Your Lordship to defer further for the reports.

“He slept in for an appointment, but made contact with the social work department.”

Sheriff Frank Pieri warned MacDonald: “It is very easy for the court to get these reports. If you sleep in or forget [his appointments] you can be kept in custody for three weeks so the social work department know exactly where to find you.

“On this occasion, I will give you one final chance and defer for the reports previously called for.”

MacDonald’s return date in court was then scheduled for February 15.

That will be the same date he is sentenced on a charge of damaging a car. He admitted kicking the vehicle while it was parked on Berwick Street, Coatbridge, in September 2015.

Fashionable thief

A quick-fingered Kirkwood shoplifter who stole clothes from a busy Coatbridge store has been admonished in court.

Alanna Poyner made off with some of the latest fashions from Next at Faraday Retail Park on May 7 last year.

The 35-year-old thief owned up to her opportunistic actions and sentence was deferred for good behaviour at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

Manse Avenue native Poyner was back in the dock last week, when the court heard, through defence lawyer Roberto Manini and procurator fiscal Susan Campbell, that Poyner had proved she could stay clear of trouble during the period of deferral.

Sheriff Frank Pieri then told Poyner: “You have done what the court has asked of you, so will be admonished and dismissed.”

Reckless driver’s order application

A reckless motorist who crashed into another vehicle on an Airdrie road while driving without a licence or insurance has applied to have the unpaid work element of his court order punishment revoked.

Stephen Lamb, 37, avoided jail by being placed under 18 months’ supervision and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work after failing to report the accident, or give his name and address.

He was also banned from the road for three years following the collision on Ferguson Way in June 2015, when he was found to be disqualified and drove with no insurance.

Lamb, of Gopher Avenue in Uddingston, was found guilty of the offences in January last year and sentenced at Airdrie Sheriff Court a month later.

He was given nine months to complete his unpaid work but during Lamb’s return to the dock last week, defence lawyer Laura Kiernan revealed her client was applying to change his community payback order by revoking the work element.

Sheriff Frank Pieri chose to defer a decision on Lamb’s application until February 15 for up-to-date background reports and a restriction of liberty assessment.

As a direct alternative to custody, I will make a community payback order with 105 hours’ unpaid work