A SERIAL thief who carried out a “spree” of shoplifting around Fife has been sent to prison.

Stuart Connolly, 26, of Sir George Bruce Road, Oakley, appeared for sentencing for a string of offences as well as two breaches of community payback orders.

Sheriff Charles Macnair said the prospect of him successfully completing any non custodial sentences were “nil” and he was sent to jail for a total of six months and 80 days.

Appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, he had previously admitted stealing a quantity of DVDs from Matalan on the Carnegie Drive Retail Park on June 3, 2015, and stealing a quantity of food from the Co-Op store in Wardlaw Road, Oakley on August 22, 2015.

On January 8 this year, at Poundstretcher in Dunfermline High Street, he stole bedding, while on March 30, at Asda, Kirkcaldy, he stole a quantity of DVD box sets.

He stole a quantity of DVDs from Asda Halbeath on April 19, some food items from Asda St Leonards on May 11 as well as a quantity of food from the Co-op store in Townhill Road on May 25 and four candles from Dobbies Garden Centre, Dunfermline, on October 17.

Connolly also admitted that on October 26, at Erskine Wynd, Oakley, he resisted, obstructed or hindered two police officers in execution of their duty and did repeatedly use his body to push a door and hold it shut to hinder officers entering the room.

During the same incident, he also had cannabis in his possession.

Depute fiscal Jane Rennie said police had received information that Connolly was around the Oakley area and was hiding in a property at Erskine Wynd.

When they arrived, he was hiding in a bathroom. He was told he was being arrested as there were outstanding court warrants, however, he refused to let them in.

Officers eventually had to use spray to gain entry and arrest him. After the arrest, they found a clear wrap in the bath tub which tested positive for cannabis with a weight of 29 grammes and a value of £290.

Solicitor Stephen Morrison said prior to being in custody, his client was using significant amounts of heroin and cocaine.

Sheriff Charles Macnair said the only appropriate sentence for Connolly’s “lengthy offending” was a custodial one.

He told him: “You were placed on community payback orders in relation to the offences of theft by shoplifting. You breached these and you then went on a shoplifting spree. 

“When police were trying to execute a number of warrants, you obstructed them and you were in possession of cannabis. 

“It seems to me that having regard to the terms of the social work report, at the moment the prospect of you successfully dealing with any for of non custodial sentence are very very poor. I would put it at nil.”

He deferred sentence on the case where items were stolen from Poundstretcher until February 21, when he said he would consider the possibility of further supervision in the community after his release.
His jail sentence was backdated to October 27.