A MAN who stole a TV set and other items from a flat in the Castlehill area of Dumbarton has been locked up by a sheriff.

Alan Hope was remanded in custody to await sentence after he admitted breaking in to the Cumbrae Crescent South flat on June 16 and stealing the TV set along with a quantity of alcohol, foodstuffs and other household items.

Hope, 35, also admitted charges of threatening violence towards five police officers who were called to investigate reports of a break-in at the property, and of being in possession of a quantity of cocaine in the course of the incident.

Hope, currently an inmate at Low Moss prison in Bishopbriggs, pleaded guilty to three charges when he appeared from custody at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on October 1.

The court heard that when the officers arrived at the block of flats just after midnight, to investigate reports of a disturbance, they saw Hope on the stairs between the ground and first floor, and noticed that a large high-definition TV was sat on the window sill next to him.

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Kevin Doherty, prosecuting, said: “The officers saw a bag with cocaine worth £320 draped over the corner of the TV.

“The TV, which was valued at £850, appeared to be damaged in the same corner.”

Hope was detained for a drugs search, at which he told police “you’ve got f*** all on me, I’ve done f*** all wrong”.

Mr Doherty continued: “The accused was asked if he had anything sharp on him that might injure officers, and he said ‘if I had anything sharp on me I’d stick it in your neck, you c***’.

“He was searched with a negative result, but continued to shout and swear at officers, who noticed that the door to a flat was damaged, with the door ajar and the lock missing.

“The accused shouted ‘I will f*****g have you c***s’, ‘take your hands off me’, ‘you can’t do me with s**t’ and ‘I will f*****g smash youse’.”

Hope was arrested but continued to behave in an aggressive manner.

Officers went into the flat they suspected had been broken into, and saw it was, in Mr Doherty’s words, “in a state of disarray, with items strewn about”.

Hope, who was initially arrested on suspicion of threatening or abusive behaviour and drug possession, was arrested for a second time later that day on suspicion of theft by housebreaking.

Brian McGuire, defending, asked Sheriff William Gallacher to defer sentence for background reports to be carried out.

Sheriff Gallacher agreed, but told Hope: “You have, in the past, served an adult sentence; you should prepare yourself that that is the likely outcome in relation to this matter also.”