Two New Year revellers have escaped punishment after they used a road sign to smash their way into a Co-op to steal gin.
Amanda Neilly, 42, and Chelsie Spencer, 24, “spontaneously” decided to grab a nearby temporary traffic sign, and together used it to smash a glass panel in the door when they found the Inverurie store closed.
Neilly then clambered through the hole and grabbed five bottles of gin from behind the till area, while Spencer waited outside on North Street.
However, onlookers, who had witnessed the whole episode and shouted to try to stop the women, contacted police and officers raced to the scene and caught the duo red-handed.
The damage the pair caused to the building totalled nearly £350.
Pair rammed shop with traffic sign
Fiscal depute Kiril Bonavino told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At 8.43pm on January 1 2021 the accused were seen to arrive at the shop front door together and were heard to discuss that they wanted gin.”
The shop was closed but remained lit.
“Upon getting no response from knocking, they were seen to kick and pull at the door in an attempt to gain entry,” he added.
The duo was unsuccessful – but did cause damage to the door.
“The accused were then observed to walk into the road and collect a temporary traffic sign, which they took back to the shop,” Mr Bonavino said.
“Both accused proceeded to hold either side of the sign and swing it against several areas of the door and glass frontage of the shop.
“After repeated impacts, the glass panel broke. The accused thereafter kicked at the hole to make it larger.”
At this point, a passer-by shouted at the women, and they “briefly walked away before returning”.
The fiscal depute added: “Neilly entered through the hole in the glass panel, went behind the tills and retrieved five bottles of various gins. Spencer remained outside.”
Police then arrived and found Neilly still inside the shop and both were arrested.
Duo can’t remember offence due to being ‘too drunk’
Neilly’s defence agent Kevin Longino told the court that his client had a “history of substance abuse”.
He added: “She had been drinking heavily and the date of the offence is somewhat relevant in that it was New Year’s Day.
“She has very little memory of what occurred, other than wanting to obtain more alcohol.”
Chris Maitland, Spencer’s defence solicitor, also said his client had made “good progress” dealing with the issues in her life.
But he added: “She cannot remember what took place because she was so drunk.”
Mr Longino and Mr Maitland said their clients had been of good behaviour since the offence.
Sheriff Lesley Johnstone said both Neilly and Spencer had made “significant efforts” to improve their behaviour since the New Year’s Day raid.
She admonished Neilly, of Brands Butt, Inverurie, and Spencer, of Main Street, Inverurie, meaning the conviction remains on their record but they do not face any additional punishment.
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