A man who injured himself while breaking into an Elgin house was yesterday jailed for more than four months.
Police stopped to help Wesley Latham, 29, when they spotted him walking in the middle of the road in the Birkenhill area with a bloodied lip, an injured face and a spattering of blood on his top.
He was so intoxicated he could not explain his actions and the officers gave him a lift back to his home.
But it later turned out that he had broken into the house with the intention of stealing from it.
The resident living in the property reported the incident the following morning.
When police arrived they discovered bloodstains all over the place, including on the smashed-in front door and the broken window.
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Depute Fiscal Alex Swain described to Elgin Sheriff Court the trail of blood and items that Latham had left behind.
She said: “In the main bedroom there was a number of items strewn across the bed, including costume jewellery, covered in bloodstains.
“All the wardrobes and drawers had been gone through, with envelopes and paperwork strewn everywhere.
“During the investigation, the blood was swabbed and the accused’s DNA was there.”
When Latham was interviewed he claimed he couldn’t recall his movements.
Defence solicitor Grant Daglish said his client had no sober intention to break into the property and that he apologised for the damage and stress caused.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov told Latham that he had “violated” someone’s home and caused excessive damage.
Latham, of Northport, Elgin, pled guilty to breaking into the property in Birkenhill, Elgin, with the intent to steal and was jailed for 145 days.