Offender's illness claims'˜cut no ice' with sheriff

Jamie Kelly (31) appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday and was warned to complete a minimum of 21 hours of the unpaid work segment of his community payback order within a week or he would be going to jail.

Sheriff Craig Caldwell told Kelly, of 146 Abbotsford Street, Bainsford, he was “fed up” with him and that his excuses, including his mother having cancer, “cut no ice” with him.

Kelly received his community payback order after admitting assaulting a police officer at Falkirk Police Station on June 3 last year and failing to appear for bail supervision on September 9, 2015.

He also previously pled guilty to behaving in a threatening manner at the Department of Social Security offices in Wellside Place, Falkirk, on October 29, 2014.

Solicitor Martin Morrow, representing Kelly, said: “The backdrop to all this is his ill health and is mother suffering from cancer. Now his girlfriend has cirrhosis of the liver.”

Sheriff Craig Caldwell said: “He should focus on keeping himself out of jail if he wants to continue to support his family. I think you’re taking the mickey and I’m fed up with you.

“We have heard all this about your mother and now your girlfriend and it cuts no ice. If you don’t do the minimum 21 hours you’re going to jail.”

The sheriff adjourned the case to today (Thursday) to allow Kelly to engage with his order and do his hours.