Addict caged after bungled raid on shop

A hapless crook who carried out a botched raid on a Paisley shop has been caged for two years.

Robert Crichton ditched booze and dumped a cash register after raiding Park Newsagents in the town’s Ferguslie Park Avenue.

He was jailed for two years at Paisley Sheriff Court when he appeared for sentencing this week.

Crichton, 39, threw away a bag containing £40 worth of drink at the back of the shop, left his own blood at the scene of the crime and dumped the till beneath a hole in the roof he had used to access the store.

He also prowled about inside the shop unaware his movements were being captured on CCTV – before he made off with around £300 worth of tobacco and left £400 worth of damage to the roof.

Fiscal Depute Keri Marshall told Paisley Sheriff Court that shopkeeper Hassan Lal was notified of the break-in the early hours of April 19 by an alarm activation – and contacted a colleague who lived nearby.

The prosecutor said: “The witness attended the locus and saw the alarm going off.

“He also saw the accused making off from the premises from the rear of the shop into a wooded area.

“Police officers attended and a few minutes later located a quantity of alcohol, about £40 worth.

“Also, a black bin bag which appeared to have blood on it was recovered.

“Staff granted police access to the shop. The accused had gained access through the roof area.

“Efforts had been made to steal the till. It was recovered. There was blood on it.

“The till had been moved from its position in the other room and left directly below the opening in the roof.”

The alcohol was returned and officers were able to identify Crichton from the CCTV footage captured in the store.

Crichton, of Grampian Avenue in Gallowhill, admitted his guilt last month, pleading guilty to breaking into the premises and stealing a quantity of alcohol and tobacco.

Sentencing had been deferred for background reports to be prepared after defence solicitor Jonathan Manson said his “ham-fisted attempt” came against a background of “longstanding issues with drink and drugs.”

When Crichton returned to the dock this week to learn his fate, his lawyer said his family had been torn apart by drugs.

Mr Manson explained: “He started experimenting with drugs at a young age.

“One of the ironies is that one of his brothers died of a drug overdose and his twin brother was also murdered – and that was drug related.

“He fully understands the peril of drug abuse.

“He is simply unable to rid himself of this particular addiction.”

Sheriff Ireland ruled there was only one way he could deal with Crichton for the offence – which he termed “a serious matter” – and caged him for two years, reduced from 32 months as he admitted his guilt.

He also placed him on a 12-month Supervised Release Order to try to get him clean once he is released from prison, telling him to attend drug and alcohol counselling.