Ms Pearson and her husband, ex-Celtic and Scotland footballer Stephen Pearson, both attended Paisley Sheriff Court yesterday to give evidence against the man accuesed of the break-in.

But, they left without having to enter the witness box after the Crown accepted a guilty plea to a reduced charge of reset after Alexander Humphreys, 52, admitted being found in possession of the stolen items.

Humphreys, who has 23 previous convictions for dishonesty and has served several lengthy jail terms, admitted the reset charge.

The court was told that the total value of the items taken was in excess of £2000, and had been recovered when the hold-alls were seized.

On hearing that a drug addiction lay at the root of the accused's offending, Sheriff Derek Livingston deferred sentence and called for background reports, releasing Humphreys on bail. He will be sentenced in July.