Oldest' thieves jailed for raid
Mulhearn and Adams have previous convictions for dishonesty
Two pensioners thought to be Scotland's oldest criminal double act have been jailed for 18 months over a £7,500 raid on a shop in the west end of Glasgow.
Richard Mulhearn, 70, and James Adams, 72, admitted stealing cash and various top-up cards from MK & Co newsagents, on Byres Road, in October last year.
Mulhearn distracted the shop assistant while Adams made off with the goods.
Adams' lawyer told Glasgow Sheriff Court he got a thrill from stealing which reminded him he was still alive.
At an earlier hearing, Mulhearn and Adams, both from the city's Maryhill area, admitted stealing £750 in cash, stamps, mobile phone top-up cards and power cards worth £7488.27 on 16 October 2008.
The court was told that the 57-year-old shop assistant was working on her own at about 1300 BST when Mulhearn came into the shop.
He asked her for help in purchasing light bulbs, which were located at the rear of the shop.
While the shop assistant was distracted Adams entered the store and removed the cash and goods from the till area.
Each of you has a substantial criminal record for dishonesty and that being so there's only one sentence that I can impose and that's a custodial one
Sheriff Linda Ruxton
The woman later alerted the police after noticing that goods were missing.
The court heard that police later recovered £700 in cash from underneath a cushion in Mulhearn's living room as well as a mobile top-up card.
He claimed he had been saving his pension for Christmas but was arrested and charged.
Adams was apprehended after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Mulhearn's lawyer Joseph Murphy told the court his client carried out the robbery "to get money for some drink" but had accepted his responsibility and apologised.
'Thrill seeker'
He said Mr Mulhearn, who has had two heart operations, was in poor health and suffered from angina and arthritis
Adams defence lawyer Bob McCormack said his client "who is not in the most robust of health" accepted that at his age he could not "carry on with this type of behaviour".
He added: "But he does this because it brings home to him the fact that he is still alive.
"He acts impulsively and acts because there is a thrill to be found in breaking the law."
Passing sentence, Sheriff Linda Ruxton told the pair: "Clearly you planned to go out that morning and steal from the newsagents.
"You had a strategy which involved one of you distracting the shop assistant while the other removed a substantial quantity of goods.
"Each of you has a substantial criminal record for dishonesty and that being so there's only one sentence that I can impose and that's a custodial one."
He mustn't be able to get an Erection, thats how i know I'm still alive 🙁
EIGHTEEN MONTHS that is like a life sentence at there age!
Mulhearn and Adams have previous convictions for dishonesty
Two pensioners thought to be Scotland's oldest criminal double act have been jailed for 18 months over a £7,500 raid on a shop in the west end of Glasgow.
Richard Mulhearn, 70, and James Adams, 72, admitted stealing cash and various top-up cards from MK & Co newsagents, on Byres Road, in October last year.
Mulhearn distracted the shop assistant while Adams made off with the goods.
Adams' lawyer told Glasgow Sheriff Court he got a thrill from stealing which reminded him he was still alive.
At an earlier hearing, Mulhearn and Adams, both from the city's Maryhill area, admitted stealing £750 in cash, stamps, mobile phone top-up cards and power cards worth £7488.27 on 16 October 2008.
The court was told that the 57-year-old shop assistant was working on her own at about 1300 BST when Mulhearn came into the shop.
He asked her for help in purchasing light bulbs, which were located at the rear of the shop.
While the shop assistant was distracted Adams entered the store and removed the cash and goods from the till area.
Each of you has a substantial criminal record for dishonesty and that being so there's only one sentence that I can impose and that's a custodial one
Sheriff Linda Ruxton
The woman later alerted the police after noticing that goods were missing.
The court heard that police later recovered £700 in cash from underneath a cushion in Mulhearn's living room as well as a mobile top-up card.
He claimed he had been saving his pension for Christmas but was arrested and charged.
Adams was apprehended after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Mulhearn's lawyer Joseph Murphy told the court his client carried out the robbery "to get money for some drink" but had accepted his responsibility and apologised.
'Thrill seeker'
He said Mr Mulhearn, who has had two heart operations, was in poor health and suffered from angina and arthritis
Adams defence lawyer Bob McCormack said his client "who is not in the most robust of health" accepted that at his age he could not "carry on with this type of behaviour".
He added: "But he does this because it brings home to him the fact that he is still alive.
"He acts impulsively and acts because there is a thrill to be found in breaking the law."
Passing sentence, Sheriff Linda Ruxton told the pair: "Clearly you planned to go out that morning and steal from the newsagents.
"You had a strategy which involved one of you distracting the shop assistant while the other removed a substantial quantity of goods.
"Each of you has a substantial criminal record for dishonesty and that being so there's only one sentence that I can impose and that's a custodial one."
He mustn't be able to get an Erection, thats how i know I'm still alive 🙁
EIGHTEEN MONTHS that is like a life sentence at there age!
