A serial offender has been jailed for a year after admitting a string of offences in Moray – including breaching a ban from entering the area.
Scott Ironside, 23, appeared from custody at Elgin Sheriff Court after having been found in the area last week, breaching his most recent bail condition of not entering Moray.
Ironside had previously admitted breaking into Aberlour Post Office and stealing cigarettes worth £72.45 on December 17 2023 – for which he was given unpaid work.
Catalogue of charges
Ironside also appeared on a catalogue of charges including: resisting arrest; failing to appear to court, stealing alcohol from the Co-operative shop in Lhanbryde, threatening a shop worker and twice breaching bail conditions to be in Moray.
The most recent offence was on May 10, when he was found at Doocot Park in Elgin.
Fiscal depute David Morton recounted the various offences to the court and said Ironside had resisted arrest, calling police officers “little pansies” as well as other derogatory remarks.
Sniggering in court
Ironside sniggered as the court was told how he threatened a shop worker who caught him shoplifting £43.50 of alcohol from the Co-op in Lhanbryde on March 2 2024.
On April 14, officers had gone to Ironside’s sister’s house in Aberlour on an unrelated matter when they saw him standing at the window.
“They were aware he was subject to a bail condition that he not be in Moray and they arrested him,” Mr Morton said.
Resisting arrest
“He was reluctant to be arrested and behaved in an abusive manner towards the police officers.”
On May 10 he was again found to have breached his bail orders to stay out of Moray when he was found at Doocot Park.
Ironside’s defence agent Ross Taggart said his client was unemployed and had an address in Aberdeen, adding: “He is in rent arrears for this address, so this may change.”
Mr Taggart spoke of his chaotic lifestyle and that Ironside had been in care “for much of his life”.
He can’t stay away from Moray
He explained Ironside had found it hard to stay out of Moray given his only relative, a sister, lived there and had only been at her house in April because she had been ill.
Sheriff David Harvie said he was taking into account Ironside’s age and what had been said on his behalf, adding: “However, it appears I have no alternative but a custodial sentence.”
Ironside shrugged his shoulders and indicated indifference at this remark, to which Sheriff Harvie replied, shaking his head: “You shrug your shoulders?”
He handed Ironside a total of 12 months in jail for all six offences, backdated to May 13 when he was placed on remand.
