Drug addict robbed man while he lay sleeping on couch

A drug addict crept into a sleeping man’s living room while he lay on the couch and swiped a fiver from his jeans.

Kevin Wallace, 30, legged it after his victim woke up and wrestled him out of the house.

The thief was on bail at the time – after swiping a poppy tin from a funeral parlour.

He was snared after he blurted out his name during the botched raid.

Wallace was sent down for more than 15 months after he admitted the offences at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Prosecutor Mark Nicol told how Wallace startled the man before grabbing the cash and running.

He said: “The witness was asleep on his living room couch.

“He was awakened by the accused, who was standing by the couch.

“He immediately challenged the accused, who stated the door was unlocked and he was Dod, Paddy Wallace’s brother.

“The accused began rummaging through a pair of jeans lying on the couch and removed £5 from the pocket.

“The witness’ partner was then awakened and she came down and saw the accused and the other witness struggling.

“The accused then ran off down the stairs and out the front door.”

Wallace crept into the home in the early hours of the morning.

He snuck into the living room and pocketed the cash just days before Christmas.

The crook ran out of the house but was spotted by a neighbour.

Police traced him after his victim remembered the name ‘ Dod Wallace’.

Cops found him at his flat nearby. But Wallace turned nasty and kicked one officer in the abdomen.

The drama was sparked just weeks after he was arrested for stealing a charity tin from the CoOperative Funeralcare.

Wallace let himself into the funeral parlour in Lady Lane before running off with the charity canister.

He was spotted by a member of staff and was snared nearby with the tin still in his bag. It had just £20 in it.

Wallace had been out of jail days when he struck at the undertakers.

Defence lawyer Charlie McCusker admitted his client stole to fund his drug habit. He said: “There are two serious matters before the court.

“He was under the influence of substances.

“He has very little recollection. “Mr Wallace has spent an awful lot of time in custody.

“He’s very briefly at liberty and then he’s back in.

“He’s an age where he needs to make a decision over what he’s doing with the rest of his life.

“He stays with his mum and she’s fully supportive of him.”

Wallace has 22 previous convictions – including stealing a camera, clothes, bags, a microphone and even drawing pins from a house.

He was slated to start a courtordered rehab programme after being caught swiping the charity tin.

But this has been revoked when he was caught breaking the law again.

Sheriff Seith Ireland sent him down for 496 days.

He said: “These are anxious cases.

“There’s a stark choice over whether the route of keeping you in the community is a viable disposal.

“There’s the question of public protection from somebody who consistently and repeatedly commits offences.

“Both these matters must be considered serious.

“You are clearly somebody who has a drug problem.

“But you were in somebody’s house when they were lying on the couch sleeping.”

Wallace, of Darkwood Drive, Paisley, showed no emotion as he was sent down to start his latest sentence.