A GREENOCK man who stole coats during a Christmas panto has been sent to jail.

Stephen Adams, 31, took four jackets from the Beacon Arts Centre during a performance of Jack and The Beanstalk in December.

Adams had pled guilty during a previous appearance at Greenock Sheriff Court in June and was warned by Sheriff Derek Hamilton that he faced a custodial sentence.

He returned this week for punishment and was told he was being sent to prison for six months.

Adams, of Clynder Road, was caught in the act by staff before police arrived to arrest him.

Depute fiscal Pamela Brady had told the court: “He was seen by theatre staff while a pantomime was ongoing. They watched him look left and right and take a cream jacket from a rail.

“The accused rolled it into a ball and took it downstairs and staff contacted police.

“He was seen to have three other jackets.” The incident happened on 18 December last year, just a fortnight after Adams breached a community payback order for another offence.

Solicitor Aidan Gallagher had said: “He tells me he had a coat of his own but couldn’t see it or find it.

“At this point Mr Adams became angry and said that until he got his jacket back he would be keeping them.

“He took them to the ground floor and was detained when police arrived shortly after.

“He was under the influence at the time.” Sheriff Derek Hamilton had said that Adams told a social worker ‘a lot of nonsense’ about his personal circumstances in a report compiled ahead of sentencing.

As Adams appeared for sentencing, Sheriff Hamilton told him: “Just a couple of weeks following this offence you were back in court once again for a breach of your community payback order.

“You have a significant record.”