Criminal who talked his way out of prison last week jailed again

Man with more than 100 convictions could not keep out of trouble for one day

A career criminal who talked his way out of prison last week was jailed for eight months yesterday after failing to stay out of trouble for a day.

Anthony Elder charmed his way out of a year in prison on Wednesday by persuading a sheriff to free him at Dundee Sheriff Court.

He was rearrested the following day for breaching his bail curfew conditions and trying to break into cars in the city.

He appeared at court again on Friday and admitted those offences but was once again released on bail while sentence was deferred.

However, he failed to behave for even 24 hours and yesterday reappeared from custody to admit breaking his curfew again on Saturday.

Sheriff Jim Williamson told Elder: “I’m not prepared to give you a final, final opportunity. You have a lengthy list of previous convictions and you were on bail at the time.”

As he was finally being led off to prison, Elder said: “Eight months for being 50 minutes late?”

Last week Elder, who has more than 100 previous convictions, changed Sheriff George Way’s mind as he was about to be locked up for 12 months.

Sheriff Way told the 31-year-old: “His record is utterly abominable. Essentially it is a course of conduct.

“He gets out and he steals. It’s difficult to see how he could escape a custodial sentence.

“I have taken account of the fact he is making efforts but the fairest thing is to deal with this today.”

Elder had previously been placed on a curfew on April 7, which he admitted breaching by going out to steal from houses and cars just eight days later.

He admitted going into a house on Rockwell Place, Dundee, and stealing a wallet and then entering a neighbouring property to try to steal from it.

He also admitted two further charges related to trying to steal from cars parked privately on the same street.

Depute fiscal Tina Dickie said one householder was woken by the sound of someone in her home in the early hours of the morning.

A neighbour was then woken by the sound of Elder running outside and watched him as he tried the handles of a number of parked cars. He was eventually caught in possession of a stolen wallet.

I’m not prepared to give you a final, final opportunity. You have a lengthy list of previous convictions and you were on bail at the time. SHERIFF JIM WILLIAMSON

Anthony Elder persuaded a sheriff to free him but was rearrested for breaching his bail the next day.