Man in underpants intended to steal
A Perth man was found in the upstairs bedroom of an empty house in Auchterarder, wearing just his boxer shorts and seemingly under the influence of drugs.
The bizarre circumstances of 28-year-old James Mitchell’s arrest were recounted at Perth Sheriff Court this week.
They led to him being jailed for a total of four months after he admitted being found in two separate properties in the town on June 11 in circumstances under which it might reasonably be inferred he intended to commit theft there.
A not guilty plea to a third charge of being in the Stewart Milne Homes building compound in Hunter Street, Auchterarder, in suspicious circumstances, also on June 11, was accepted by the prosecution.
The first incident took place in the garden of a house at Raven Grove, Auchterarder, about 1.45am after the householder heard noises outside.
The accused was speaking and mumbling to himself, explained depute fiscal Tina Dickie.
“He then left, climbed over a fence and was thereafter lost to sight,”she added.
The police were alerted and Mitchell was later found in another house in Raven Grove shortly after 4am after officers noticed a door was partially open.
He was arrested but claimed the address was one of his friends.
“No other people were found inside,”added the fiscal.
The occupier had been away visiting family but confirmed that he didn’t know the accused and had “no idea”why Mitchell had been found in his house.
Solicitor Billy Somerville described the circumstances of what had taken place as“bizarre.” Mitchell, of South Street, had been visiting a friend in Auchterarder and the lawyer added:“He does appear to have been somewhat under the influence of drugs at the time.”
He had been“persuaded”to take tablets, probably valium, and had then gone to sleep.
It then appeared he had walked out, wearing only his boxer shorts, and that was“all he could remember.”
Jailing Mitchell, Sheriff Gillian Wade noted that he had a lengthy criminal record, including “numerous crimes of dishonesty.”