Man handled stolen goods

Oct 15 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A MAN caught by police with a bag of stolen goods has been jailed.

Ryan Forrest had gone with Lynne Whyte into Matalan in Livingston’s centre on September 23.

His co-accused, who was carrying a bag, was known to security staff and they watched her as she went around the store.

The pair then left the shop and were seen to go behind a car and when they re-emerged, Forrest was carrying the bag.

Police, who had been alerted by security staff at the centre, caught up with the pair and when he saw officers Forrest dropped the bag and ran off.

He was later detained and the bag was found to contain a stolen jumper and purse from Matalan.

Last week at Livingston Sheriff Court Forrest, whose address was given as Eldrick Crescent, Fauldhouse, pled guilty to resetting the stolen goods.

His solicitor, Kevin Dugan, told the court his client was a former heroin addict and had a terrible criminal record.

However, the solicitor added that 27 year old had managed to wean himself off the class A drug and had not known the items were stolen at first.

Mr Dugan added: “He said it was only later that she told him the sweater and purse were stolen.

“He had only carried them a matter of a few yards when he saw the police.

“He dropped the goods when he saw the police because he panicked.”

Forrest’s co-accused Whyte, of Quentin Court, Livingston was given 100 days for stealing a pair of shoes from the store at an earlier hearing at the court.

Mr Dugan asked the Sheriff to differentiate between that crime and Forrest’s offence and give him an alternative to custody.

However, Sheriff Martin Edington told Forrest he had no option but to jail him for the offence.

Sentencing him to 100 days Sheriff Edington said: “You have a very long record and you have more than double the number of convictions than your co-accused had.

“You are also subject to an unexpired portion of a sentence which was also for dishonesty.

“You have a previous conviction for resetting so you cannot claim you did not know what you were getting yourself into.

“Your solicitor claims it was a less serious offence but the court has long held the view that without resetters there would be fewer thieves.

“I have come to the conclusion that because of your previous convictions then only a custodial sentence will do.”