A serial thief who left a trail of blood after ransacking a Perthshire primary school has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Michael McNeilage triggered a security alert when he smashed his way into St Dominic’s in Crieff and helped himself to a laptop computer and a list of passwords.
He sliced himself as he clambered through a rear window and left tell-tale blood smears as he rifled through drawers, tipped over plants and tossed equipment on the floor.
The 39-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court for sentencing, having earlier admitted breaking into the Broich Road school and stealing items on March 19 2021.
Sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “I’ve taken account of the fact that you have spent time in custody for this matter but there still needs to be a punitive element.”
She ordered him to carry out 135 hours of unpaid work within six months.
The total amount of hours was reduced after the court heard McNeilage had already served the equivalent of a four-month sentence on remand.
Fall sparked suspicions
McNeilage had been spotted outside the school at around 8.45pm carrying an umbrella, the court heard.
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney said a witness described him as “under the influence”.
“As he was being watched, he fell over and hit his head,” the prosecutor said.
“He appeared to be carrying something inside his jacket, as he did not bring out his hands to break his fall.”
At about 11pm that evening, staff at the school received a call to say the building’s alarm had been activated.
An employee raced to the school and noticed a light on in the headmaster’s office.
She called police and waited outside in her car.
DNA match
Officers arrived just before midnight and found blood on window sills, drawers, door handles and a damaged alarm keypad.
Swabs were analysed and returned a positive DNA match for McNeilage.
Solicitor Paul Ralph described his client’s offences as “acquisitive thefts to feed his drug habit”.
McNeilage, from Crieff, was also subject to a community payback order review in connection with previous thefts.
The court heard he had stayed out of trouble but had tested positive for cocaine.
A further review will be held in June.
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