Youth (17) charged with breaking into store four times

Jun 19 2008 by Alastair McNeill

A RESIDENT of a Hamilton homeless unit has been charged with four times breaking into a town supermarket.

John Stuart (17), of the Blue Triangle unit, Clydesdale Street, pleaded not guilty to raiding Aldi’s, in Wellhall Road, on April 27 and stealing a bottle of alcohol.

He also denied a charge of breaking into the store on April 30 with intent to steal.

And Stuart - along with Nicola McFarlane (17 ) - denied breaking into Aldi’s on May 31 and stealing bottles of alcohol.

He also pleaded not guilty to breaking into the store on a fourth time, on June 14, along with fellow Blue Triangle residents McFarlane and Colin Mair (19).

Mair further denied committing a breach of the peace at an address in George Street on June 14.

All of the offences involving Mair were said to have occurred while he was on bail on another matter.

Sheriff Marie Smart set the trial date on all three accused for July 22 and granted Stuart and McFarlane bail.

Mair, however, was refused bail and remanded in custody meantime.

Mair and Stuart also appeared in court on a separate complaint involving culpably and recklessly destroying property in the town.

Mair denied throwing a brick at a house window in Fereneze Crescent, Hamilton, on May 10 and exposing Mark Eadie and Nicola Callaghan to the risk of injury.

He further pleaded not guilty to striking a number of windows at the house with a golf club and breaking them on June 14, causing Nicola Callaghan to be showered with glass to the danger of injury.

Mair and Stuart also denied kicking and damaging glass security entry door panels at Almada Tower on May 10.

A charge of stealing a mobile phone at the Blue Triangle on June 13 was also denied by Mair.

Three of the offences involving Mair were said to have taken place while he was on bail on another matter.

Sheriff Smart set the trial for July 23. Bail for Mair was refused and he was detained in custody meantime.