Two men from Wishaw and Newmains, who admitted breaking into a garden centre in the Clyde Valley just before Christmas, have avoided jail terms.
Keith Russell and Garry McKay, of Maxton Crescent, Coltness, both pleaded guilty to breaking into Dobbies Garden Centre at Lanark Road, Rosebank, on December 23.
The duo appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court last week for sentencing.
Russell must do 225 hours of unpaid work and will be
tagged for four months which means he can’t leave the house between 9pm and 5am each day.
McKay got 150 hours of unpaid work and a four-month tag, keeping him in between 7pm and 7am each day.
Sheriff Thomas Millar also put both men under supervision for 18 months.
Previously, the court heard that around 3.20am on December 23, police were alerted to an alarm going off at the garden centre and attended. The four officers checked the perimeter of the site but could not see any forced entry and waited for a member of staff to arrive.
The member of staff arrived at 4am and opened the store.
At that time police could see that the alarm had been ripped from the wall and the power and CCTV had been turned off.
Torches were used to search the premises and Russell, 47, was quickly found hiding behind some shelving.
Russell was found with a crowbar.
He was told to stay where he was but he then ran towards police in an aggressive manner.
Police thought Russell, whose address was given in court papers as a serving prisoner, was going to strike them and struck him.
However, due to Russell’s size and weight it had little effect on him.
The police continued to try and restrain Russell but he then punched an officer causing a nosebleed.
Officers then used spray to subdue Russell who was found to be wearing latex gloves.
The Dobbies staff member then told police a second man was observed at the rear of the centre.
Two officers then went outside and observed 48-year-old McKay who was also found to be wearing gloves.
