A 25-year-old father-to-be had nowhere to stay so he broke into a shed and then phoned the police to come and arrest him.
But Inverness Sheriff Court was told that police officers had driven Sean Hill, of Devon Road, Greenock, to the scene of the crime in the early hours of the morning of May 13 last year.
However when he appeared before Sheriff Gary Aitken yesterday, Hill not only got one free night’s accommodation in police cells, but 28 days and nights courtesy of the Scottish Prison Service.
Hill was fined £600 after admitting theft of an electric plane by breaking into a shed in View Place, Inverness. He refused to pay and was sentenced to the alternative of imprisonment.
The court heard Hill had gone to Burnett Road Police Station seeking a night in the cells because he had lost his friend who had arranged a place to stay.
Defence solicitor Marc Dickson said police had taken his client to a B and B, but there was no answer.
“It was a cold night so he broke into a shed, and phoned the police to tell them what he had done and that he wanted to be arrested.”
Jailing Hill, Sheriff Aitken told him: “This is going to turn out to be an expensive night’s accommodation.”
