Thugis jailedfor break-in

A householder wrapped in a duvet chased a knife-wielding raider from his Motherwell home after his cat raised the alarm.

Intruder Christopher Dundas had appeared in Dylan Wotherspoon’s bedroom demanding money in the early hours of the morning.

Mr Wotherspoon and his partner, John Boyle, both 26, were asleep but were wakened by their pet cat.

Dundas, 31, was jailed for 22 months by a sheriff who said he’d put the couple through a “terrifying” experience.

He admitted assault, attempted robbery and theft of a knife at the flat on February 9.

Jennifer McLaren, prosecuting, said Dundas was known to the couple and lived close to them. He broke in via a window they had left open for their cat.

Ms McLaren told Hamilton Sheriff Court: “Mr Wotherspoon was wakened by the cat running into his bedroom and making a noise.

“He sensed something was amiss and shouted to Mr Boyle who had fallen asleep in the living room.

“Mr Wotherspoon then saw a figure in the bedroom. The person turned round and he saw it was Dundas who was holding a kitchen knife with a blade of about eight inches.

“The accused said ‘Give me your money, just give me your f ...... money’ and walked towards Mr Wotherspoon, brandishing the knife.

“Mr Wotherspoon got out of bed, picked up the duvet and pushed Dundas away from him into the hall.

“The accused was still swinging the knife about and Mr Boyle, who was also awake, was very afraid.

“Mr Wotherspoon told the accused they had no money to give him and shouted at him to get out.

“Dundas thereafter left the flat, still carrying the knife that he’d got from the kitchen.”

Defence agent Diarmid Bruce said Dundas has issues with drugs, adding: “He does not have a clear recollection of what happened.”

Sheriff Colin Dunipace said Dundas had a serious record and told him: “You subjected these individuals to a terrifying experience in their home. This is your fourth appearance on indictment and you have analogous previous convictions. In the circumstances only imprisonment is appropriate.”

The sentence was reduced from 30 months to 22 months because of Dundas’s guilty pleas.