A 44-year-old Inverness man has been jailed for 10 months after he was caught stealing from a van in the city centre.
William Williamson, described as a prisoner at Inverness, appeared at the city’s sheriff court on indictment and admitted the theft of two watches from an unlocked van in Old School Place on November 16 last year.
He also admitted illegal possession of a knife.
Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart told Sheriff Margaret Neilson: “The owner of the van parked it near his home but left it unlocked about 9pm. The two watches were lying on the dashboard.
“About 11.40pm, a witness saw Williamson with a teenager acting suspiciously. The teenager acted as look-out and Williamson was seen to enter the van.
“The police were called immediately and when officers arrived at the scene, they found Williamson sitting in the rear of the van.
“He was searched and the watches were found in his pocket. He was then taken to Burnett Road Police Station where he was searched again and a knife was found hidden in his boot.”
Defence agent John MacColl said his client’s record did him little credit and he had two previous convictions for similar offences.
He added: “As far as the knife is concerned, it was small and there is nothing to suggest any violence. He had just put his 14 year old son on the train south and discovered that he had a knife with him.
“He took it off him and slipped it down his boot. So that is the reason why he had it. As far as the other charge is concerned, it was an opportunistic theft.”
Sheriff Neilson told Williamson that there was no alternative to a custodial sentence because of his record, but it was backdated it to November 17 when he was first taken into custody.
