Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Hospital break-in man sent to prison
A MAN who smashed the window of a hospital room to climb inside has been jailed.
Ronald Kinmond, 44, was jailed for 10 months at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting breaking into a room at King’s Cross Hospital.
The court heard Kinmond, previously of Soapwork Lane homeless unit, had a long string of previous convictions for crimes of dishonesty.
These included six theft by housebreaking, three housebreaking with intent to steal, two attempted housebreaking and 20 other dishonesty offences.
Fiscal depute Kirsten Thomson told the court the hospital break-in was an attempt to steal from a ground-floor office room filled with computer equipment, files and other electrical items.
The room was locked and in darkness when the incident took place at 1.50am on November 4.
The fiscal said: “Two female members of staff were in a room next door when they were aware of a noise coming from one of the adjoining offices.
“The noise became louder and a second noise of cracking was heard.
“Both witnesses left their office and went to investigate.
“One witness peered through the glass of the door of the office room and saw t he external window had been shattered.
“They then saw a hand reaching through and clearing some glass debris that had fallen on the windowsill.”
The two women ran to reception and alerted a male member of staff.
Police were contacted and the pair ran back to the office and looked through a window on the door.
The fiscal added: “They saw the accused with a red jumper and grey body warmer on, with a grey hood covering his head. One witness knocked on the door and shouted, ‘Oi’.
“The accused, who was climbing through the window, stopped upon hearing the shout and slowly retreated out of the window and turned to leave.
“The witnesses saw the accused running away in a north-west direction before slowing his pace to a walk.”
Police attended and saw the smashed window and footprints underneath it leading away. A dog handler and dog traced Kinmond’s escape route and found him hiding behind a bin in a garden in a nearby street.
He was searched and found to be in possession of a spanner. Kinmond, a prisoner at Perth, admitted the offence.