A day after his release from prison and desperate for somewhere to stay, Brian Chilcott decided to offend, hoping to be arrested and sent back to custody.
The 26-year-old phoned police on January 18, claiming to have a knife at Buccleuch Street, Melrose, and then broke a window at the trading standards building in the town’s High Street.
Chilcott, currently serving a 12-month custodial sentence imposed at Duns last week, was fined £250, opting for the alternative of 14 days’ custody.
Chilcott, of no fixed abode, admitted phoning police, falsely claiming to have a knife and recklessly breaking a window.
“He phoned police and said that he had a knife, which he didn’t. He then broke a window to try to get taken into custody as he didn’t have an address to stay,” said prosecutor Tessa Bradley.