A joyrider avoided a prison sentence for running over his then girlfriend and permanently disfiguring her, but was jailed for stealing beer from a shop.
David Owen drove over Louise Graham with her own car as she slept in a tent on a beach in St Andrews.
Miss Graham suffered horrific injuries in the incident on the West Sands.
On Thursday, Sheriff Charles Macnair deferred sentence on Owen for good behaviour and told him he would likely be placed on probation when he reappears in three months.
However, moments later he handed him a four-month prison sentence for a separate offence of stealing a crate of beer worth £7.
Owen (21), of Station Road, Dairsie, will be due for release just a month before he returns to court.
The prolific offender was found guilty by a jury last month of taking Miss Graham’s car without permission on October 8, 2008.
Then, while under the influence of alcohol, he culpably and recklessly drove it over her to her severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
He admitted stealing 15 bottles of alcohol from the Co-op in Cupar on September 28, last year, while on bail.
During the trial last month, Cupar Sheriff Court heard how Owen “freaked out” after the car rolled over Miss Graham, and that his friend, Andrew McKenna, had to reverse the vehicle off her.
Miss Graham was rushed to hospital in Dundee after being driven back to Owen’s mother’s house in Dairsie.
Owen’s solicitor told the court, “Mr Owen’s position is and always has been that this was an accident. He does accept responsibility for this and has always shown remorse.”
Sheriff Macnair told Owen he had difficulty determining his sentence.
He explained, “As a result of a lack of full explanation of the driving there isn’t any precise evidence of how you came to injure your then girlfriend.
“I have to proceed on the basis that this was the result of culpable and reckless conduct. This is, however, offending of a different kind to most, if not all, of your previous offending, which largely is dishonesty and associated offences.
“You have one or two breaches of the peace and one or two assaults, but the vast majority of your offending has been theft or associated offences. Accordingly and also having regard to the fact that had this been on a road and reported more recently, then it’s very likely that it would have been a charge under section two of the Road Traffic Act (careless driving).
“Had this been a section two offence I do not consider that a custodial sentence would have been appropriate.”
The theft, however, occurred while Owen was on bail serving the community part of a detention sentence for shoplifting.
Owen was also disqualified from driving until June 23.
Miss Graham is pursuing a civil claim for compensation.