A thief who broke into a former Scottish Restaurant of the Year to steal wine was caught out by the trail of prints he left on the freshly varnished bar.
Daniel Sweeney also admitted spitting on a police officer and he was ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work in the community today.
He was placed under supervision for nine months for the police assault and sentence was deferred for good behaviour in respect of the break-in.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how Sweeney left fingerprints on the sticky bar and footprints inside award-winning Number 63 Restaurant.
Fiscal depute Christina Kelly said: "This is a restaurant with four windows looking out onto Tay Street. A witness observed the accused at 3.40 am before he went out of sight.
"A short time later she heard an alarm and witnessed the accused running past her window carrying what appeared to be three bottles.
"The police were contacted. They attended and observed the kitchen window wedged open and the alarm was sounding.
"There were fingerprints on top of the window pane. There was a footprint on the window sill under the open window and fingerprints on a freshly varnished bar area.
"His shoes were seized and described as a good match for the print at the locus. The accused was interviewed and made a full and frank confession.
"There was a partially consumed bottle of wine found near the rail bridge and it was identified as belonging to the restaurant." It was worth £14.
Sweeney, 24, Culliven Court, Perth, admitted stealing a bottle of wine and two bottles of beer on 23 June. He also admitted spitting at a police officer after taking offence at a comment made to him.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: "Clearly he has hit a bad patch. There are ways of taking issue with what someone says without emptying the contents of your mouth on that person."
Solicitor Lee Qumsieh, defending, said Sweeney had been upset by the recent death of his mother but accepted spitting at the officer was "disgusting and despicable."
