Homeless man refused to leave

A homeless man refused to leave a Tesco store in Dunfermline when staff were trying to lock the premises.

David Berry, 48, had been staying at James Bank Hostel in the town when he made his way to the supermarket and lay down under a stairway.

Appearing from custody at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, he admitted that on November 9 at Tesco, Winterthur Lane, he repeatedly refused to leave the premises, shouted and swore.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said: “At 11pm police officers were instructed to attend at the Tesco store.

“Staff had made a call about the accused lying under a stairwell and refusing to leave. When officers arrived the accused was still lying there.

“It was explained to him that the store was closing and he was asked to move away.”

The depute said Berry became “abusive and belligerent”.

Members of the public were looking on as Berry continued to shout and swear.

Berry insisted he was not moving, before he was arrested and taken to Dunfermline police station.

Defence solicitor Alexander Flett said: “He had left the homeless hostel across the road from here and didn’t want to go back.”

He said his client had now been given a property by the council in Inchgarvie Crescent, Dunfermline.

Sheriff McSherry fined Berry £200.