A shoplifter was told by a sheriff: “If you come to Dundee to steal deliberately, you go to jail”.
Edinburgh thief David Dodds, who has 21 previous convictions for shoplifting across the UK, was jailed for 51 weeks after stealing a television from Curry’s on Kingsway last October.
His co-accused Gary McGhee of Musselburgh was sentenced to 15 weeks’ imprisonment.
Dodds’ solicitor Mark Harrower told Dundee Sheriff Court: “His record obviously counts against him.
“A social work report describes him as a career shoplifter, which is a fair description.
“Your lordship would be well entitled to jail him today and he appreciates that. There might be some merit in considering whether supervision and the threat of custody might produce a more positive outcome.
“The rest of his family are turning against Mr Dodds. It has become a bit of an addiction, when there is a financial need he turns to this behaviour.”
Emma Somerville, for McGhee, said: “He wants to turn things around. He would like to apologise to the court for this behaviour.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown told Dodds: “You are a thief. You travel around the country stealing things and selling them.
“I don’t know what judges in other parts of the country do, but if you come to Dundee to steal deliberately, you go to jail.”
Sheriff Brown told McGhee: “You chose to take part in this, you knew what you were doing.
“You have previous convictions for theft and I have come to the conclusion you are going to prison.
“This court will not tolerate travelling thieves.”