A thief who smashed the window of a Dundee sex shop and made off with a horde of kinky heels and lingerie walked free from court – despite a sheriff previously telling him he faced a jail sentence.
William Neilson smashed his way into the Desire adult store in Albert Street by breaking through the window with a brick at 4am last Thursday.
Neighbours heard the racket and called police who spotted him on CCTV.
Neilson was seen reaching through the broken window and picking up a series of sexy items – before taking a bin bag from a nearby bin and going back for more.
When he was chased by police he made off – and was eventually caught with a pair of pants in his hand.
Cops later found a stash of almost £200 worth of knickers, bras, and high-heeled shoes – understood to be rubber stilettoes – that the 42-year-old had taken.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “The locus is an adult clothing and accessories shop and has two large window displays.
“The accused carried items into Raglan Street, Dundee, where he removed a plastic bag from a bin and placed the stolen items within, before leaving it beside the bin.
“As police stopped beside the accused he looked at them and immediately ran and was pursued on foot.
“When he was apprehended police witnesses recovered a pair of knickers from the accused’s hand.
“Police were directed towards some large bins in Raglan Street where police recovered a quantity of lingerie and shoes from beside the bins.
“They were identified as being from the store and valued at £187.70.
“The damage to the window was £570.”
Neilson, 42, of Foundry Lane, Dundee, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft.
He further admitted a separate charge relating to another incident of opening a lockfast place with intent.
Jim Laverty, defending, said: “He’s put himself in a very embarrassing situation.”
Sheriff Alistair Brown had previously remanded Neilson in custody for the preparation of social work background reports and told him he would face a jail term.
But today he released Neilson on bail for a drug treatment assessment.
He said: “It is more important that we prevent him offending in the future.”
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