A CONVICTED sex offender who stole hundreds of pounds from his ex while she slept has been jailed.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on July 26 how Paul Stewart, formerly of Colquhoun Road, was at home with his ex who fell asleep on the couch whilst he watched television on January 4 this year.

Around 7am the following morning, the victim woke up and found that her bank card was missing, but there was a note left by Stewart on the coffee table indicating he was out.

She quickly contacted her bank and was told that three separate cash withdrawals had been made that morning.

Procurator fiscal Daisy Bentley told the court that the first withdrawal was £250, then £200 and the last was £40.

Stewart, who has a string of previous offences, appeared from custody last week.

He had also been charged with stealing the cash from ATMs at BP Milton on Dumbarton Road and West George Street in Glasgow on January 5.

At the time of the offence he was the subject of three separate bail orders – two granted at the court in Dumbarton and one at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

The court was told that Stewart was on licence from prison and was subject to strict rules about keeping in contact with police as a convicted sex offender.

He was to attend Dumbarton police station at 3pm every day – but a police officer noted that he had failed to comply on July 13, 2021.

Police officers attended the 47-year-old’s home address the next morning to investigate the breach.

But he immediately became hostile and aggressive towards cops by tensing his arms before being taken to Clydebank police station.

Stewart appeared for sentencing on charges of theft and failing to comply with court conditions laid down on September 24, 2021 and January 5 this year.

Jonathan Paul, defending, said: “He has struggled with his mental health.”

Stewart was jailed for six months, backdated to June 28, and admonished on the breach.