A sex offender stole a packet of crisps so he could be sent to prison to avoid being bullied.
David Dunn claimed he was being repeatedly harassed by fellow residents of the Lily Walker Centre on Ann Street because of his previous convictions for sexual assault.
A sheriff has granted the 51-year-old his wish and jailed him for stealing the crisps and cigarettes from a newsagent’s.
In May 2015, Dunn was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 58-year-old woman.
He grabbed her as she sat alone on a couch at the Mecca Bingo hall in the Nethergate and told her she had “beautiful eyes”.
Immediately after, Dunn went outside and targeted another woman, grabbing the 24-year-old’s bottom.
In March last year, Dunn was convicted of sexually assaulting and attempting to touch a woman as well as attempting to lift her up at Dundee Survival Group, Foundry Lane, in January last year.
Following his trial in 2018, solicitor Kevin Hampton said Dunn maintained his innocence with his client claiming in a social work report that the woman’s claims were “financially motivated”.
Sheriff Derek Reekie ordered him to perform 150 hours of unpaid work as well as placing him on supervision for three years.
Dunn appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court to admit shoplifting from Spar on High Street, Newport-on-Tay last Saturday. He admitted stealing two packets of cigarettes and a packet of crisps.
Mr Hampton told the court that Dunn was inviting Sheriff Tom Hughes to jail him for the offence. The solicitor said: “It’s quite a sad situation. He has been bullied quite a lot because of his previous sexual offences conviction.
“He would be inviting your lordship simply to send him back to prison.”
Sheriff Hughes sentenced Dunn to four months.
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