Shoplifter’s dying mum plea rejected

A SERIAL shoplifter’s plea to be freed from jail to see his dying mum has been rejected by a sheriff.

Paul Mackay claimed he had been badly affected by the death of his dad several years ago and now wanted to spend time with his mum, who he said has terminal cancer.

Mackay, 23, of Bathgate, West Lothian, had been due for release on October 28 after serving a sentence for an earlier theft.

At Livingston Sheriff Court yesterday, he had four months added to his sentence after pleading guilty to stealing from a Lidl store on September 3.

Brent Bissett, prosecuting, said Mackay had taken £35 worth of goods, all of which had been recovered.

Mr Bissett said the accused gave a statement to police saying: “Someone threatened me and told me I had to do it.”

Sheriff Donald Muirhead told Mackay: “You had two attempts at a drug treatment and testing order, one in 2009 and one just last year. Your record for this kind of offence is very poor indeed and, in the circumstances, I don’t think anything other than custody is appropriate.”