A HELENSBURGH man behind a three-year history of crimes committed in the town and in Glasgow has been released from prison – but put on an electronic tag.

Jamie Harkins was jailed in June for two curfew breaches – but having now served time behind bars, he was spared another spell in prison for two more crimes.

The Advertiser previously described how the 21-year-old’s offending began at a flat in Helensburgh’s Drumfork Court on March 30, 2020, when he broke in and stole a quantity of cash and tablets.

But his criminal behaviour spiralled out of control between August of last year and April 18 this year.

On August 15, 2022, at Parnie Street in Glasgow city centre, Harkins failed to tell police he had a piece of broken glass on him when repeatedly asked if he had any weapons before a search.

On October 11 and 12, he breached a condition of a court undertaking by failing to be within his home address between 7pm and 7am.

He had been caught on the night of October 11 shouting, uttering abusive remarks and breaking a glass at the Royal Bar in Helensburgh.

On November 22, Harkins stole a bicycle from a property in the town’s Collins Road while on bail from Dumbarton Sheriff Court – and on the same date, he was found within the curtilage of a house in Lomond Grove, and at nearby Hermitage Academy, with the intention of committing a theft.

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At all three locations, Harkins was in breach of a curfew imposed as part of his bail order.

And on January 28 this year, he shouted, swore and uttered homophobic remarks towards police in West Clyde Street.

He was also found in possession of cannabis at Clydebank police station on the same date.

Harkins then moved to the County Hotel, and had a new bail curfew imposed on February 2 – but he breached the curfew on February 7 and 17, and again on April 17.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told a hearing last week: "He is a 21-year-old man and he needs to get himself sorted. He either chooses to do that in the community or a lengthy stay in custody. I am guessing he prefers the former."

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Harkins’ solicitor, Scott Adair, said: "I think, when he went into custody, he identified he was misusing drugs, and thought the best way was a sentence to cover all bases."

For the oldest offence in 2020, he was tagged for four months where he must remain in his home address from 7pm-7am.

And for his crimes between August and November last year, a  community payback order was also imposed for 18 months under social work supervision and ordered to complete 140 hours of unpaid work.

Harkins, now of Old Luss Road, is yet to be sentenced for the broken glass offence in October last year.

Sheriff Hendry warned him: "Your fate very much lies in your hands."