A fearless funeral director fought off a sneak thief

Allan McGhee wrestled Joseph McAllister to the ground outside the Green Oak Funeral Services building on Greenock's Jamaica Street as he trued to commit a despicable theft earlier this week.

Allan then held him until police arrived on the scene.

Allan, 52, told the Telegraph: "I was amazed that someone would have the brass neck to walk in and take it.

"I mean, the tin is for such a well known and much loved cause."

Hoodie-wearing McAllister, 48 — who has racked up more than 100 convictions — grabbed the hospice can and stuffed it under his jacket on Tuesday afternoon.

He desperately barged Allan against a wall when confronted and tried to flee but hadn't reckoned on the brave funeral director fighting to protect the hospice's funds.

Allan said: "I was just returning from making a donation to the foodbank and came across this man.

"I noticed that the charity tin was gone, and he went to move and I heard the tin rattle.

"I said, 'Do you want to get the tin out' and he said, 'I've not got a tin' and he ran at me.

"We ended up outside and wrestling on the ground.

"I managed to restrain him until the police arrived."

McAllister — who also tried to punch Allan — is today beginning a prison sentence.

Prosecutor Frankie Morgan told Greenock Sheriff Court: "The accused was concealing an item under his jacket and appeared to be cradling a bulge.

"The complainer restrained the accused and the tin fell from his jacket to the ground.

"Other staff were alerted to the commotion and saw the accused struggling violently with the complainer."

Despite pleading guilty to theft and assault, McAllister — whose criminal career dates back to 1986 — bizarrely declared from the dock: "This is all kangaroo, man."

His plethora of previous convictions include stealing £2,000 worth of mobile phones from the changing area of young dancers during a class at St Andrew's Church hall, taking a collection box just moments after Mass at St Laurence's and stealing a disabled man's cash and lottery tickets after offering to help him across a busy road.

Defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher said of his client's latest theft: "It must be recognised, on any level, that this was a despicable, especially given where the monies were intended for."

Mr Gallagher told the court: "Mr McAllister's lifestyle is one of unemployment, homelessness and problems with alcohol and drugs.

"He is sent to prison and re-emerges into the community and has to seek benefits which are not immediately available to him.

"He then gets into the same company of acquaintances that he's had over the years.

"Mr McAllister recognises that he is institutionalised and when in the community he has difficulty in adjusting to, for want of a better term, 'civvy life'.

"He found himself in a scatter flat with no monies for electricity."

Sheriff Daniel Kelly sentenced McAllister, to eight months imprisonment.

Funeral director Allan — who co-owns his Green Oak business — has now moved the hospice charity tin away from the reception area to a more secure safer location as a result of McAllister's actions.

He said: "I was shocked and just did what I did.

"It's a shame we've had to effectively hide the tin away as a precaution."