‘Spree’ shoplifter sentenced

A MAN who went on a “shoplifting spree” in Lerwick towards the end of 2014 has been handed a one-year community payback order.

Thirty nine year old Jamie Neill, of Sandveien, Lerwick, was also given a backdated three-month jail term, but because he has been in custody since 25 February the custodial sentence has effectively been served already.

Neill had previously admitted to a string of dishonesties between October and December last year. He stole items with a combined value of more than £1,000 from Boots chemist, the town’s two big supermarkets, the Camera Centre, Shetland Office Supplies, the Shetland Times Bookshop and Shetland Library.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday morning, Sheriff Philip Mann gave him a cumulative one-year community payback sentence with a supervision requirement for those thefts.

Neill will also be subject to a three-month restriction of liberty order, meaning he must remain in his house between 7pm and 7am seven days a week.

The three-month jail term was imposed for being caught, whilst on bail, in another Sandveien house without lawful authority on 24 February so it could reasonably be inferred that he intended to commit theft.

Neill was admonished for stealing food from Tesco’s South Road store on 6 January.