A snivelling thief who robbed a frail pensioner in an electric wheelchair in his Dundee home has been moved from a maximum security prison for his own safety.
Callous Douglas Laidlaw sobbed as he was sentenced to 20 months for sneaking into an 81-year-old’s home to assault and rob him.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told other inmates had been so sickened by Laidlaw’s crimes he had to be transferred out of Perth Prison.
Now in HMP Edinburgh, Laidlaw – who has had a drug problem for 30 years – admitted stealing items including hearing aids after the vulnerable pensioner let him into his home, expecting his carer.
Despicable crime
Fiscal depute Lynn Mannion said: “The victim lives alone and has mobility issues. Carers visit four times a day.
“He uses an electric wheelchair to get around.
“He keeps a bag attached to the chair with his wallet.
“He has a chain around his neck which lets him open the door from a distance.
“He was sitting in the chair when he heard knocking and assumed it was his carer.
“He pressed the fob to open the door.
“He heard someone moving about and shouted but received no answer.
“The accused leaned in close, demanding money and shouting at him.
“The accused pushed him on the body and searched through the bag.
“He shouted at the accused to leave. His leather wallet was missing.
“He contacted his carers through the community alarm and police were contacted.
“When the accused was searched they recovered the wallet.”
Accused’s ‘shame and disgust’
Solicitor Jim Laverty, defending, said his client had written an apology letter for his victim to and admit how disgusted he was by his own behaviour.
“I cannot vocalise his shame in relation to this charge,” Mr Laverty said.
“Within my file I have a letter he intended to send to (the victim) but I advised that should not be done until matters are resolved.
“In that letter, he begs for forgiveness for what he has done.
“He makes no excuse and indicates his utter shame and disgust at being involved in this offence.
“He indicates that because of the nature of the offence his life wasn’t really much worth living.
“He was removed from Perth Prison to HMP Saughton because of the subject matter – for his own protection.
“It is one of the few occasions I have seen him visibly upset.
“It would appear to be his heartfelt emotion.”
Hallucinating due to drug use
Laidlaw also admitted robbing a friend of £200 cash when she turned up to buy drugs from him on October 10 2022 and stealing £100 from a woman moments after she took it out of a cash machine on Forfar High Street on August 19 2023
He also broke into another house in Dundee and stole a laptop on May 15 2021.
He assaulted and robbed the 81-year-old in his home the next day.
Laidlaw, 43, from Forfar, admitted leaning in and shouting at him to demand money, pushing him and searching his bag before stealing cash and cards, hearing aids, CDs and clothing.
Mr Laverty added: “He has a record which does him no credit and he accepts that.
“He has, unfortunately, been addicted to unlawful substances from a very early age – around 14 years old.
“The offences here have a drugs background.
“The drugs he consumed were sold to him as street Valium but the effect was at a level he had never experienced before and, over a period of days, he had been hallucinating.”
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