A man attempting to pay off a £5,000 debt by stealing a bucket filled with alcohol, tools and cash from a garden shed was thwarted when the homeowner tackled him to the ground.
Jamie Donn was rumbled trying to make off with the haul from a garden in Buckie. When he was challenged he immediately dropped the bucket and tried to leave.
But the homeowner was having none of that and tackled the 42-year-old to the ground and held him until police arrived, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Donn told officers he was sorry and that he had a £5,000 debt with a local family.
He has now been offered a chance at support through a drug treatment and testing order.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke told the court Donn was caught at the home in Yuill Avenue, Buckie, on February 27 this year.
Homeowner tackled thief to ground
“The couple was at home at 7pm when they noticed the accused was within their shed at the back of their garden,” she said.
“They went out to challenge him and found him with a bucket. He immediately dropped it and went to leave the garden however, the male tackled him and restrained him to the ground.”
The bucket-load of booty included beers, tools, money and a shopping bag, the court heard.
When police arrived Donn told officers he was sorry and said he had a £5,000 debt to a local family.
Defence agent Matthew O’Neill said it was “disappointing” to see his client in court again after a gap in offending while he abstained from substances.
“There were a number of factors that had caused considerable distress to him and he began self-medicating through drugs, alcohol and substances that became available to him.
“He realises with the passage of time that was an extremely foolish thing to have done.
“He was taking these items in a bid to tackle these factors.”
Said he owed £5k to local family
He agreed with Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood’s suggestion that a drug treatment and testing order might benefit Donn, should he be deemed suitable for one.
Donn, who pled guilty to a single charge of theft, also showed willingness from the dock, adding: “I think that would be beneficial to me, my lord.”
Sheriff Fleetwood deferred sentence upon Donn, of The Meadows, Buckie, for six weeks to allow a suitability assessment for that order to be carried out.
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