No jail for man who wandered naked into home

A Perth man who began taking heroin 45 years ago and has now moved onto street Valium has escaped a prison sentence after wandering into a former neighbour’s home while nearly naked.

Perth Sheriff Court was told that the householder“became fearful for his own safety”when 58-year-old Eric Donaldson appeared - and then started rummaging through drawers.

The accused, now of Primrose Crescent, was“in a state of undress, with no clothing on his top half and his trousers at his ankles,”the court heard.

“He became aggressive and was continually spitting, with saliva landing on the floor,”explained depute fiscal Sarah Wilkinson.

At one point the intruder spat out his false teeth and dad-of-three Craig White picked them up“to protect his family”.

The bizarre behaviour resulted in Donaldson being restricted to his new home from noon-7pm for the next eight months.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said it would have had“an extremely unsettling effect”on the 40-year-old who was working from home.

The accused, previously of Todd Place, Bridge of Earn, admitted entering the house in Poplar Avenue, Bridge of Earn, uninvited on January 12, 2021.

He then acted aggressively, repeatedly picked things up, refused to leave and then repeatedly shouted and swore and spat out his dentures.

He has several previous convictions, including one from Southwark Crown Court, London, in 2002 when he was jailed for five years for supplying cocaine.

Mr White was in the office at his home in Bridge of Earn when he heard a noise in the hallway about 3.25pm.

He was confronted by the accused and asked him what he was doing, thinking he was“an elderly confused gentleman”.

But Donaldson became aggressive and began walking around the house, opening drawers and going through their contents.

Mr White repeatedly asked him to leave but eventually had to lock Donaldson inside and contact the police.

Officers arrived at 3.40pm and found the house“in a state of disarray” because of the accused’s actions.

Solicitor Mike Tavendale said his client has a“long-term drug issue”and a history of epileptic seizures.

He had been prescribed various medications and was also on a methadone script.

The lawyer added:“He has absolutely no recollection of this incident.”

Imposing the Restriction of Liberty Order, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Donaldson:“The responsibility and the reasons why you have these problems lie fairly and squarely in your lap.”