A serial pigeon thief was yesterday given the chance to stay out of trouble – and away from birds – or he would be jailed for up to nine months.
Dean Wells was convicted after a two-day trial of being in Brian Stewart’s garden in Inverness on January 26 in circumstances where it could be inferred he was about to commit theft.
Sheriff Valerie Johnston heard that the 24-year-old had several previous convictions for stealing pigeons and other crimes of dishonesty.
He has in the past been described as having a “fixation for small creatures”, and was ordered to wear an electronic tag for six months in 2011 after taking four budgies from his great-uncle.
When police arrived at his home to question him on the matter, Wells was found with two of the pets stuffed into the pockets of his jacket.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard how Wells had spent some time in custoday already, but could serve more.
The Sheriff said: “I will defer sentence until June 12 for your good behaviour and you will be released on bail. You have been around the courts a lot. But if you get caught not being of good behaviour, then I have up to nine months as a sentence.
“If that is not an incentive for you, then I don’t know what is.”
The court heard lorry driver Brian Stewart, 55, had confronted Wells in his garden at St Mungo Road and saw him peering through the wire mesh into the shed where there were around 90 birds.
He told the court: “I shouted at him and he turned round and asked if I wanted a pigeon with a hurt wing. He said he had found the pigeon at the nearby shop. I told him no, it was no use to me.
“He appeared agitated and began stuttering. I asked him to leave as pigeons had been stolen before. Then I saw one of my pigeons on the roof. I had no idea how it got there.
“My sheds were unlocked but snibbed shut and I hadn’t let it out. They were all shut in because of the bird flu.
“The bird wasn’t worth very much, maybe about £50.”
Wells, of Kingsmills, Elgin, was in Inverness on January 26.
He added: “I saw this white pigeon with an injured wing and I knew Mr Stewart kept pigeons. I went to look in the shed to see if there were any other birds similar. My friend had the pigeon in the box at the front.
“I was going to pop the bird into the shed. Then Mr Stewart appeared and I walked up to him to ask him if he wanted the bird.”
Fiscal depute Anna Robertson said: “He had sneaked into Mr Stewart’s garden to steal pigeons to feather his own pockets.”
Defence lawyer John MacColl said: “The evidence is not in dispute. It is the inference that can be drawn from it.”
