A former soldier was taken in by an Angus family after his release from prison only to rob them when they went on holiday.
Thomas Smyth did two tours in Northern Ireland during eight years of service with the army, only to accrue a “prodigious” record of crimes of dishonesty later.
Smyth, now of St Vigeans, went to stay with a friend in Montrose after his release from prison last year.
The family went on holiday and returned on May 17 to find he had gone back to Northern Ireland with more than £1,100 of their possessions.
The 46-year-old appeared from custody at Forfar Sheriff Court, after he returned to Scotland to admit the theft.
Sheriff Gregor Murray sentenced Smyth to seven months in prison for the “abuse of hospitality”.
The haul included commemorative coins, a gold ring and home entertainment equipment. Depute fiscal Robbie Brown said the value of the property stolen was £1,125 and only £280-worth of items was recovered.
Mr Brown said: “The accused had known the complainer for some time, and he had been put up by the complainer when he was released from prison.
“They went on holiday and when they arrived home they found him gone and a fair portion of their property with him.”
Previous convictions were admitted by Smyth’s defence agent, Bob Bruce. The solicitor said: “He had gone back to Northern Ireland. He was arrested last night and it was his intention to hand himself into the police station.
“He suffers from manic depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. He had been in the Army for eight years and did two tours in Northern Ireland. There are things he doesn’t want me to go into.”
Mr Bruce said Smyth’s offending had reduced recently and he was willing to undertake some restriction of liberty in order for background reports to be compiled.
But Sheriff Murray told him there was “only one appropriate sentence”. He told Smyth: “You have a prodigious record for this type of offending.
“Each of the offences for which you had gone to jail had an element of dishonesty.
“This is substantially aggravated by the abuse of the hospitality given to you on your release from prison, and aggravated by the amount of property which is without recovery.
“I will reduce the sentence just by the fact you returned and the early plea avoided a trial.”
Smyth admitted stealing items from Newmanswalls Avenue between May 15 and May 17 last year.