Drunk caused break-in terror

Woman woke to find him in bedroom

A Hamilton woman at home alone was terrified after waking up to find a man in her bedoom.

Elizabeth Whyte had locked the doors and windows of the Melfort Road house and switched off the lights before going to bed at 9pm on February 13.

But she woke in the early hours to find 20-year-old Scott Hamilton, of Milton Street, standing in the bedroom.

Hamilton admitted a charge of breaking into Ms Whyte’s home and stealing a Kindle, knives, perfume and a purse.

Fiscal depute Stuart Cassidy said the 55-year-old woman had been at home alone on February 13.

She went to bed at 9pm before ensuring that all the doors and windows were locked and the lights off.

However, she was wakened about 1am, startled to find the accused in her bedroom.

She immediately screamed and Hamilton fled the bedroom.

Ms Whyte walked downstairs to the living room and the accused slowed down. He appeared to be looking for something, said Mr Cassidy. The witness shouted ‘get out’ at Hamilton.

She was scared and continued screaming until Hamilton made his way towards the kitchen, where she saw glass on the floor. It had come from a window pane on the back door.

Mr Cassidy added: “The accused was looking back towards her before he made good his escape”.

A distressed Ms Whyte called 999 and when police attended they noted a large stone on the kitchen floor opposite the back door.

A Kindle was also found lying in a suitcase on an armchair. There was also perfume and a purse next to the case.

And officers saw a knife which had been taken from a kitchen drawer in the suitcase.

Mr Cassidy said it appeared that the accused had turned the lights on in the living room and hallway.

When Ms Whyte returned to her bedroom to get dressed she found another knife concealed in her jeans.

Mr Cassidy said DNA swabs taken from the knives matched the accused.

Hamilton had originally been charged with stealing cigarettes, a passport, a laptop, a bra and sunglasses.

However, he pleaded guilty to an amended charge which made no mention of these.

His not guilty pleas to charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner and failing to appear for court proceedings were accepted by the Crown.

Hamilton’s solicitor Diarmid Bruce told Sheriff David Bicket that his client had split up from his girlfriend two days before and had “embarked on a lengthy drinking session”.

The lawyer added: “My client doesn’t have any recollection of this. He cannot explain it. It was out of character. He’s got a good job as a chef.”

Sheriff Bicket deferred sentence on Hamilton until August 29 for a criminal justice social work report. Bail was continued meantime.

My client doesn’t have any recollection of this