'Fall from grace' sees reformed offender crowbar his way into Grangemouth chippy
An offender who had managed to steer clear of drugs, alcohol and crime for a number of years had a “fall from grace” which had him crouching behind a counter of a chippy he had just broken into.
Steven Wilson, 56, was supposedly high as a kite on drugs when police showed up at the business and found him cowering behind the counter.
It was stated at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday he could not recall the early morning incident because of the drugs – which he claimed he had been given by a woman – but he had enough forethought and wherewithal to bring a crowbar with him to force his way into the premises.
The incident was said to have been a “one off” falling off the wagon for him, after a long period away from offending.
Wilson had previously admitted breaking into a commercial premises – the Bowhouse Chip Shop – in Bowhouse Square, Grangemouth on May 31.
The procurator fiscal depute said: “The witness had locked and secured the premises and there was no damage when they left it. At 4.20am another witness was in her bed and was awoken by a loud banging.
“She saw a male trying to open the door of the premises. He was trying to force open the door with a crowbar. He used the crowbar to smash a window and entered the premises.”
Police were called an quickly on the scene to find Wilson “crouching down behind the counter” of the chip shop.
Simon Hutchison, defence solicitor, said: “He tells me for the last year or so he has been abstaining from drugs and alcohol. He has not offended since 2021. This was a falling off the wagon for Mr Wilson in terms of his offending.
"He can remember nothing about this incident due to the drugs he was given by a woman. I would ask the court to treat this as a one off fall from grace.”
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane placed Wilson, 2 Woodside Gardens, Brightons on a supervised community payback order for 12 months.
"So you can prove this was just a blip,” she added.