The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Thief traced by blood trail is sent to jail
Ahapless housebreaker who was caught redhanded after leaving a tell-tale blood trail from a Perth woman’s flat has been jailed for 21 months.
Simon O’Neill slashed his hand as he crawled through a broken window at a property on Riggs Road.
He left a bloody trail as he searched around the flat, before making off with a random haul of items including a guitar, chocolates and a TV remote control.
The 42-year-old was caught minutes later, after police followed the blood spatter through the snow.
O’Neill, of Greyfriars House, told police not to bother calling in forensic officers because the blood they were following was so obviously his.
Perth Sheriff Court heard O’Neill had long-standing drug problems, and had been topping up his methadone prescription with Valium.
Sheriff William Wood told him: “You will appreciate you have an appalling record, mainly for crimes of dishonesty but also for housebreaking.
“This was an intrusive offence and would have been very distressing for the woman whose flat you broke into, who came home to find items had been taken and your blood all over the place.
“Because of your record and the frequency of offending, a custodial sentence is the only option.”
O’Neill was jailed for a total of 640 days and will be placed on supervision for eight months when he is released from prison.
Solicitor Linda Clark said O’Neill is being assessed for possible post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he may have suffered as a result of witnessing violence at his family home.
“He can’t remember the housebreaking given the substances he had taken,” she said.
“He said he pled guilty because he needs to take responsibility for his actions and the trouble he had caused.
“There’s no attempt by Mr O’Neill to dodge a bullet here.”
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney said O’Neill was spotted going into the flat on January 13 by a neighbour.
“At about 10.20pm, a witness was in her home address when she heard a large smash, consistent with the sound of glass smashing.
“She attended at the rear of her property and looked out to see the accused leaning into a smashed window.
“He appeared to be moving glass around to make space.”
Mr Sweeney said: “She continued to watch him as he went through the window and into the property.”
Police were called and officers rushed to the scene.
The witness told them O’Neill had just walked around the corner on to Whitefriars Street.
“Officers gave chase, following a blood trail and footprints in the snow,” said Mr Sweeney.