Garage theft nets West Lothian man cigs and six months

Nov 12 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A MAN who broke in to a Bathgate petrol station has been jailed.

Hugh McAllister and his co-accused targeted the BP garage on the town’s Edinburgh Road shortly after 1am on October 4.

Fiscal depute Danielle Clarke told Livingston Sheriff Court that a neighbour living near the petrol station was woken when they heard loud banging.

Ms Clarke added: “They saw the co-accused taking something large out the boot of a car and run over to the service station where he was seen to meet up with McAllister.

“The witness then saw McAllister and the co-accused hitting the front door of the shop.

“At this point they called the police.

“They then saw them enter the petrol station and jump over the counter. The alarm at the premises was then set off and both accused went to leave the shop.

“McAllister was seen running towards Starlaw Crescent by the witness and the co-accused was seen running down Edinburgh Road.

“He was seen holding a duvet and crowbar. The co-accused was detained after being caught in a garden.

“Police officers carried out a search in Starlaw Crescent and saw McAllister appear from behind a hedge in a front garden of one of the houses and he was restrained.”

Four packets of cigarettes and a pair of surgical gloves were found in a garden on Starlaw Crescent.

The pair were taken to Livingston Police Station where they both denied being involved in the break-in. When he was cautioned and charged for the offence McAllister told officers: “It wasn’t me.”

Last week at the court McAllister, of Edgefauld Road, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to breaking into the garage and stealing cigarettes.

His lawyer, Alan Jackson, told the court the 39-year-old had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Mr Jackson added: “He doesn’t have any excuse for his behaviour but his motivation was to feed his drug habit.

“He has stated his remorse in this matter.

“He tried to run before he could walk and against his doctor’s advice he came off heroin without any help but has returned to it.

“He has an unenviable record with some matters of significance.

“However, he has not had a directly analogous offence since 1996 and has not had a custodial disposal for many years.

“This is a man who when placed on orders of the court has engaged well.”

However, Sheriff Donald Muirhead told McAllister he had a duty to send out a message to the public.

Jailing McAllister for six months Sheriff Muirhead said: “I have listened carefully to what has been said and it is true that you have not been offending as much recently, but what I have to focus on is that this is a very serious offence.

“The fact that you did not get much tobacco away for the premises is because an alarm went off.

“It was a serious offence committed by a man with what is a bad record for dishonesty and someone who, in the past, has given up and then relapsed into a heroin addiction.

“You say you have given up drugs in prison but there is no reason to think you would not lapse again.

“I have a duty to send out a message to the public and protect the public so I think nothing but a custodial sentence will do.”

Sentence on McAllister’s co-accused has been deferred till later this month for background reports.