Tamfourhill thief who threatened to burn women’s homes given jail sentence

A serial thief who also threatened to burn down both his partner’s home and the property belonging to the woman’s mother has been jailed.
By Herald Reporter
Published 15th Oct 2019, 18:05 BST
Nicholas McPhillips was jailed for more than two years last weekNicholas McPhillips was jailed for more than two years last week
Nicholas McPhillips was jailed for more than two years last week

Nicholas McPhillips (24) committed a lengthy series of offences over an 18-month period, which included repeatedly following a car that had pulled over to allow his own vehicle to pass.

Appearing in court last Thursday, McPhillips, 7 Kilbrennan Drive, Tamfourhill, had pled guilty to a catalogue of crimes which began with him driving a vehicle dangerously and too close to a car on Tak Ma Doon Road and the B818 between Carron Bridge Hotel and Nethermains, both Denny, on January 24, 2017. He also admitted getting behind the wheel without holding a licence or having insurance.

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He then behaved threateningly at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert where he shouted, swore and made violent threats on November 14, 2017, while on bail. McPhillips’ offending continued when he threatened to torch his partner’s home during phone calls made between July 18 and 19 last year.

Following another theft of alcohol from Scotmid, High Street, Bonnybridge, on 22 September, 2018, he also behaved in a threatening manner by shouting, swearing and acting aggressively towards his partner on October 17, 2018 in Kilbrennan Drive. He then breached a bail condition by contacting the woman at her home on November 3.

McPhillips returned to his robbing ways on February 16 this year at Iceland, Cruikshank’s Court, Denny, where he stole booze while on bail. He also pinched alcohol and food from the same store on March 14 and stole food from Sainsbury’s, Glasgow Road, Denny, on March 22. That same day McPhillips behaved threateningly towards two employees at Denny’s Iceland store before again stealing food from the shop on March 25.

Defence solicitor William McIntyre said his client had “very low intelligence” and accepted his guilt. Labelling his actions as “disgraceful”, Sheriff John Mundy imprisoned McPhillips for 27 months.