A callous thief - who left a woman too scared to stay in her own home - stole a telly because it was his birthday

On Thursday at Alloa Sheriff Court, Richard Beresford faced a handful of charges.

As reported in the Advertiser last September, the 44-year-old was sentenced to a Restriction of Liberty Order for three months for pinching a purse and its contents in Alloa's Mill Road on July 30, 2016.

Returning to the dock last week, the court was told that Beresford breached the RLO by removing the tag from his leg. However, it was quickly reattached and the accused completed the hours required for the order.

Sheriff Christopher Shead admonished Beresford for this crime, but was "concerned with the number of offences" in front of him.

Beresford, of Garvally Crescent in Alloa, admitted forcing open a locked motor outside the Co-operative store in the town's Tullibody Road to steal a laptop on May 25, 2016.

On the same day, the accused also forced open a secure BT van in Alloa's Mill Road to nick an iPod and charger.

Fiscal depute Ruaraidh Ferguson told the court that Beresford was seen by witnesses trying to pull the van's window glass out of its frame.

When challenged why he was doing it, the accused told a witness that he'd "locked his phone in the van".

He eventually gained access to the motor and stole goods worth £175, however police soon tracked him down and the items were returned to the owner.

Beresford also pleaded guilty to smashing a window pane in an attempt to break into a house in Alloa's Sandpiper Meadow on July 11, 2016.

Mr Ferguson stated that it was around 2.30-3am when the occupier of the house heard noises coming from her kitchen. She initially thought it was her dog, but went to investigate after it had gone on for some time.

When she entered the kitchen, she spotted the accused outside. She told him to "go away" and then shouted for her partner's assistance.

Beresford was said to have caused £100 worth of damage by smashing the outer pane of window glass. The inner pane was still secure.

Mr Ferguson stressed that the impact of that night was so severe, the woman had to move house.

Just over a month later, on August 31 last year, Beresford stole a telly worth £459 from a van delivering goods in Alloa's Tummel Court.

The driver gave chase and managed to get the TV back.

When interviewed by police, the accused admitted: "It was daft, it was my birthday, I was daft."

Defending, Kelly Howe explained that her client did not cope well with stress.

In January last year, Beresford was admitted to hospital for alcohol and substance misuse. He lost his mum in the February which exasperated his offending, however since his cousin's drug-related death in August he has made attempts to turn his life around and has since been engaging with services.

Sheriff Shead noted: "He has a very bad record."

Ms Howe could not deny that, replying: "He does."

Sheriff Shead sentenced Beresford to a Community Payback Order with supervision for 12 months and 120 hours of unpaid work to be completed within six months for the two thefts from vehicles on May 25, 2016.

He deferred sentence for the attempted housebreaking and telly theft until March 30 to monitor the accused's progress. Sheriff Shead threatened Beresford with jail if he failed to comply.