A SERIAL Dunfermline shoplifter who stole from shops all over town – often while under several bail orders – has been jailed.

Sheriff Craig McSherry said Peter Mitchell, 42, would “most certainly fail to comply” with any community payback order imposed.

Mitchell, whose addresses were given as 25 Shields Road, James Bank Hostel, and “no fixed abode” appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last Wednesday for sentencing for offences committed over a five-year period.

He admitted that on August 12, 2011, at the James Bank Hostel, while on bail, he assaulted a woman, pushed her onto a bed, whereby she struck her head against a wall, all to her injury; and also at the hostel on April 26, 2013, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, shouted and swore.

He pleaded guilty to stealing a quantity of food items on June 12, 2014, at the Co-op, Allan Crescent, and June 15, 2014, at Nisa, Abbey View.

He further admitted to stealing a quantity of meat at the Co-op, Townhill Road, on August 17, 2014, having been granted bail on four occasions; and four packets of sandwiches at the Co-op, Allan Crescent, on November 6, 2014, having been granted bail on three occasions.

Mitchell pleaded guilty to stealing a quantity of cheese on March 18, 2015, at the Co-op, Townhill Road; a quantity of meat on March 31, 2015, at Scotmid in Inverkeithing High Street; a quantity of alcohol on August 12, 2015, at Tesco, Turnstone Road, while under four bail orders; and two jars of coffee on August 20, 2015, at the Co-op, Shamrock Street, while on bail.

He also admitted that on March 22 this year at James Bank Hostel, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, shouted, swore, uttered threats of violence and aggressively kick a door there, while on five bail orders.

Solicitor Alexander Flett said Mitchell had “a history of various difficulties which he has had to deal with”.

He added: “He has detoxed while in custody. He's drug-free and no longer in a relationship which led to the misuse of drugs in the first place.

“He's asking for the court to give him another chance to comply with orders while at liberty.

“There are two other domestic incidents from 2011 and 2013 which are at the lower end of the scale and there are number of offences for shoplifting, four in 2014 and four in 2015.”

Mr Flett revealed the total value of the stolen items was £85.70, of which £22.50 was recovered.

Of the last incident at the James Bank Hostel, Mr Flett explained: “He fell out with somebody else in the hostel. 

“There was an argument and when a member of staff interviewed, he told them mind their own business, in somewhat forthright terms.”

Sheriff Craig McSherry admonished Mitchell for the offences at the James Bank Hostel in 2011 and 2013 but jailed him for three months for the other crimes.

The sheriff remarked: “It's obvious from the social work report that if I put you on a community payback order, you will most certainly fail to comply with it.”