A ‘reformed’ Aberdeen housebreaker who broke into student halls and stole more than £1,000 of equipment and belongings has been spared a prison sentence.
Barry Kirton, 43, broke through a window of St Peter’s Halls of Residence at Aberdeen University and stole a laptop, a backpack, passport and keys.
Students returned to find their possessions were taken and that damage had been done to two kitchen windows.
The total sum of the items taken was £1,008.
Kirton’s solicitor told the court that his client has become a reformed character since the incident and has joined a church and volunteers at a food bank.
Students returned to find possessions gone
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told the court that the two students had left their flat on October 20, 2020.
“They returned to the flat to find that the laptop and rucksack were missing and that two windows in the kitchen were damaged,” Ms Martin said.
Kirton pleaded guilty at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to one charge of housebreaking and stealing property at Aberdeen University.
Defence agent Iain Hingston told the court that his client had turned over a new leaf since the incident and was now volunteering at a foodbank.
He said: “I think all of us want to see people stop offending and Mr Kirton is going the right way about it.
“It is a while since I’ve seen someone try to so proactively change and better themselves.
“He has taken the hard way and he’s aware of the impact his behaviour has had on the individuals concerned.”
‘Considerable changes in your life’
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Kirton that he noted that his previous conviction for theft was a “considerable number of years ago”.
He added: “You have taken steps to make a number of considerable changes in your life.
“However, this is still a significant matter for the people affected.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Miller sentenced Kirton, of Sunnyside Road, Aberdeen, to a community payback order with supervision for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
