A BARRHEAD man has been jailed for trying to break into cars outside a hospital in an attempt to steal from the vehicles.

William Vance, 41, targeted two vehicles as they sat in the car park of the Royal Alexandra Hospital,  Paisley, last Thursday.

He lifted up the door handles, attempted to open the doors and punched the window of a blue Volkswagen Polo.

Vance then attempted to get into a white Citroen C1 by trying to force open the boot and punching the window.

He was arrested over the offences and held in police custody overnight until appearing in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court on Friday.

Vance struck a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to the two offences in exchange for a third charge – that he had also tried to force open the doors and boot of a Vauxhall Corsa – being dropped.

Sheriff Frances McCartney jailed Vance, of Divernia Way, for 160 days for the offences and told him this was reduced from 240 days as he had admitted his guilt.