A man who broke into a bowling club and stole coins from a slot machine told the cleaner he was looking for a bible, a court has heard.
The worker spotted Jason Jaffray inside Alness Bowling Club when she arrived to clean and, knowing he was not a member, challenged him.
Looking “nervous and agitated”, Jaffray told her: “I am looking for the Holy Bible” before leaving the premises.
Soon after the woman discovered the gaming machine had been accessed and cash taken.
Jaffray, 41, appeared at Tain Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a charge of theft by housebreaking, as well as two assaults and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told the court that the theft took place on February 7 of this year.
She said the cleaner arrived at 12.15pm and heard movement, before spotting Mr Jaffray walking towards her.
Bowling club burglar seeking ‘bible’
Jaffray left the premises after being challenged and it was then the woman noticed things were not right.
“She observed the bottom of slot machine had been removed that gives access to coin storage and was leaning against the machine,” the fiscal depute said.
Police were called and examined the machine. The fiscal depute said the loss to the bowling club was £264.
Police were called, the machine was examined and CCTV was viewed.
Later that same day, officers received reports of an assault and attended at Milnafua in Alness.
They were told that Jaffray had made a Snapchat call to his neighbour that had caused him to come out into the garden, after which he had punched the man on the head and body before running away.
After a police investigation, Jaffray was traced and arrested.
Ms Duffy-Welsh said that other charges related to an incident in August of this year, where Jaffray assaulted a family member in Milnafua.
‘Family pressures’
She said that there was shouting and swearing between the two before Jaffray “lost his temper” and threw a punch.
Solicitor Rory Gowans, for Jaffray, said his client had experienced something “in pretty close proximity” which had a “pretty profound effect on him”.
He said Jaffray is a heroin addict with mental health issues who had been subject to “external and internal family pressures” at the time.
Placing Jaffray, of Milnafua, on a community payback order with two years supervision and 200 hours of unpaid work in the community, Sheriff Neil Wilson told him: “Two things have kept you out of prison: your lack of recent offending and the representations made on your behalf by Mr Gowans.”
