Two brothers were driven to the scene of their latest crime by police officers who had taken pity on them.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday that Kyle Brandie, 25, and his 23-year-old sibling Ryan had just been released early from prison sentences for a break-in at a Nairn hotel.
Fiscal depute Laura Ryan told Sheriff David Sutherland that the pair had been given a lift to the Eastfield Way retail park on the night of September 26.
“Police were helping them out.
“But after they were dropped off, they went into the Tesco supermarket and stole goods to the value of £47.
“The theft was recorded on CCTV and all the items were recovered.” Ms Ryan added.
Kyle Brandie admitted the shoplifting offence yesterday having been remanded in custody after a court appearance last month.
His brother Ryan decided to plead guilty immediately in September and was jailed for 60 days.
Both had admitted previous criminal records, including crimes of dishonesty.
An intermediate diet was set for yesterday, but when Kyle Brandie took the dock, his solicitor, Graham Mann, confirmed his client would be pleading guilty.
“He has no recollection of doing this but when he saw the CCTV, he has decided to plead guilty.”
Mr Mann went on: “The police came across both of them on the road. The brothers had been drinking and officers were concerned for them, so they dropped them off at the retail park to get a bus home.
“This was silly behaviour rather than a commercial enterprise. The goods were still in the trolley in the car park when the police arrived.”
Sheriff Sutherland told Kyle Brandie he would be returned to prison to complete a six month unexpired sentence, and added another three months to it, backdated to September 27 when he first appeared.
