A serial housebreaker who threatened to spit on police and claimed he had hepatitis has been sent back to prison to serve the remaining portion of a previous sentence.
Charles Skinner, 43, was found in the home of one man who saw him shining a flashlight downstairs and another witness spotted him on his CCTV camera trying to gain entry to his home.
Upon being arrested by police, Skinner was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) where he kicked a police officer before threatening to spit on him while claiming he had hepatitis.
His solicitor told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that Skinner, who has numerous previous convictions for housebreaking, had fallen back into drug addiction due to the stress of having to give evidence in a murder trial.
Among the things Skinner stole were a wallet, headphones and a face mask.
He pleaded guilty to four charges, including theft, assault and two of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Homeowner saw light shining downstairs
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told the court that at around 11.45pm on January 10 this year, one homeowner in Cornhill Gardens, Aberdeen, heard a noise downstairs and went to the landing to check what it was.
She said: “The witness saw a light moving around downstairs. He shouted from the top of the stairs and the light stopped moving and there was a small pause.
“He then heard the sound of his back door closing.”
The following evening Skinner was spotted by another homeowner on their CCTV system on Westburn Drive attempting to enter their home from the garden.
He put on the alarm that was connected to the CCTV and Skinner fled from the scene.
However, thanks to the description provided to police by the homeowner, officers found Skinner 20 minutes later and arrested him.
Officers then took Skinner to ARI due to concerns for his health.
While there he kicked a police officer and threatened to spit on him, claiming he had hepatitis.
Accused ‘under no illusions’ about serving prison time
Defence agent Tony Burgess told the court that Skinner had fallen back into drug addiction due to the stress of having to resubmit evidence in a murder trial.
He said: “Looking at his record, you could be forgiven for thinking he is just returning to form.
“But the circumstances that drove him back into drug use are somewhat unusual.
“He gave evidence for the whole day at the original trial and, for reasons that I’m not sure of, the trial was deserted and he had to go back to give evidence again.
“It was that that pushed him over the edge and he was back into drug use.”
Mr Burgess added that Skinner was “under no illusions” that he faced a prison sentence for his offences.
Sheriff Andrew Miller described Skinner’s record for housebreaking as “extensive” and with many offences related to crimes of dishonesty.
He ordered that Skinner, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, go back to prison to serve 13 months of an unexpired portion of a previous sentence.
Sheriff Miller admonished Skinner of the remaining charges due to him serving eight months on remand.
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