Inverness hotel thieves who ransacked bar for alcohol and cash spared jail
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A MAN and woman who ransacked an Inverness hotel during the pandemic for alcohol and money have been spared jail.
Phillip Arnold (43) and Stephanie Norman (43) carried out the raid on October 6, 2020, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Pauline Gair said the manager had locked up the Crown Court Hotel, Southside Road, at around 8pm.
But CCTV footage showed the pair taking bottles from the bar after 1am.
They also took a sum of money from a till.
The theft was not discovered until the following morning, the court heard.
Arnold, of MacKintosh Road, Inverness, also admitted being violent with police on the same day when he was arrested including attempting to bite the hand of an officer.
Sentence had been deferred for the preparation of background reports.
Sheriff Gary Aitken imposed a community payback order on Norman, of the city's Quayside Court, as a direct alternative to custody.
She will be under the supervision of social workers for 18 months and faces a restriction of liberty order between the hours of 7am and 7pm seven days a week for the next eight months.
Arnold was also given a community payback order as an alternative to jail.
He must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in the community and will also be supervised by social workers for 18 months.
The Crown also forfeited a number of bottles of alcohol and the cash that was seized in the break-in.
