A 42-YEAR-OLD man who admitted a "smash-and-grab" theft from an antiques shop in which jewellery worth a four-figure sum was stolen has avoided a custodial sentence at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Wayne Wilkes pleaded guilty to the offence which happened at Global Antiques in High Street, Hawick, during the early hours of the morning on Monday, September 18.

Wilkes, who gave an address in Hawick, had previously been remanded in custody for the preparation of background reports after admitting a charge of theft by housebreaking.

Following what was described as a "smash-and-grab" raid in which traces of blood were left on the smashed window shopfront, the police had appealed for witnesses, asking if anyone had seen a man wearing a military-style camouflage jumper and dark raincoat.

There was full recovery of the jewellery valued at thousands of pounds.

Wilkes also pleaded guilty to three other charges of theft by shoplifting in the Hawick area.

Sheriff Kevin McCarron said it was with "considerable hesitation" that he was imposing a drug treatment and testing order over 12 months as an alternative to custody.

He told Wilkes he would have been looking at an 18-month jail sentence for the offences and warned him if there is any further offending within the next year then prison would be inevitable.