A DESPERATE drug addict who repeatedly broke into derelict flats in Port Glasgow in search of scrap metal to fund his habit has been jailed.

Grant Crawford carried out a series of raids at Clune Park and breached multiple court orders after his life 'spiralled into chaos', Greenock Sheriff Court heard.  

Crawford, 31, was homeless and destitute when he began breaking in to properties at the eyesore rundown estate nearly two years ago.

He repeatedly breached a night-time bail curfew and also ignored a court order to stay away from a named woman and an address in the Port.

Defence lawyer Amy Spencer told a sentencing hearing that her client was 'completely realistic' about how the various matters would be dealt with.

Miss Spencer added: "The wheels came off the wagon."

Crawford was convicted of breaking into a ground floor property on Clune Park Street with intent to steal, having been charged along with a co-accused of targeting the flat on June 11, 2022.

He broke into another empty flat owned by the same landlord in the largely empty Clune Park estate, on Robert Street, with a different co-accused, on November 16 that year.

Crawford was subject to a court bail order at the time of that break-in.

He appeared from custody at the sheriff court having breached the conditions of a night-time curfew twice last year.

Crawford also failed to comply with a requirement to stay away from Stanton Square in the Port and avoid contact with a woman.

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Solicitor Miss Spencer said: "He acknowledges that he is completely at the end of the road.

"He breached bail, failed to comply with social work and failed to attend court.

"His life had spiralled into chaos misusing drugs and ending up homeless.

"The wheels came off the wagon.

"He was struggling to juggle bail conditions and family life.

"In relation to the housebreakings these are derelict buildings, nobody resides in there and it would appear that he was there for scrap metal and he would not be making a fortune.

"Regardless of whether they were going to be bulldozed or not, it is irrelevant because they are somebody's property.

"This was all to fund an addiction."

Miss Spencer said her client hoped to rebuild his life after matters were resolved.

Sheriff James Varney said no alternative to custody was available and jailed Crawford for a total of 422 days, backdated to April 11 when he was remanded.