A man caught hiding in the bushes with a purse and necklace stolen from a nearby house has been jailed.
Malin Banciu broke into the property in North Ballachulish last year, stealing jewellery and a purse.
The 35-year-old was caught after the owners of the house, Isobel and Geoffrey Logan, raised the alarm after coming back from a few days away.
Fiscal depute David Morton told Inverness Sheriff Court: “They returned on October 3 and instantly saw that they had been victims of burglary. Various items were strewn across the floor and all their bedrooms had been rummaged through.
“The police were notified and immediately began enquiries. Some time later, they saw Banciu and his former co-accused dressed in dark clothing hiding in bushes near the Ballachulish Bridge.
“They were detained and a ladies purse belonging to Mrs Logan was found in Banciu’s pocket. Also recovered were two pairs of pink ladies gloves and a necklace.”
Banciu, listed in court papers as a prisoner in Inverness, previously admitted breaking into the property on October 2 last year.
Defence agent Michael Poggi said: “My client makes the comment that because of his financial situation, he felt entitled to steal.
“However there is a fine line between desperation and justification. As far as I am aware he had no previous convictions but it is accepted that this is a serious offence and a sentence of imprisonment is likely.”
He returned to court yesterday for sentencing, and Sheriff David Sutherland
Sheriff David Sutherland agreed that a jail sentence was “inevitable” and locked him up for 18 months.
Mr Poggi added that the Romanian national was expected to be deported by the Home Office on his release, although said he would be appealing that decision.
