A Moray man was reported to the police by his father after stealing the latter’s work van from outside his home while he was drunk.
Callum Stevenson subsequently abandoned the vehicle in the middle of the road with the keys still in the ignition.
The 21-year-old appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday, where he admitted driving away the white transit van without the consent of its owner, while he was unfit to drive through drink or drugs.
Fiscal Alex Swain told the court the apprentice joiner’s father had alerted the police to his erratic behaviour.
She explained that Stevenson lives in Mosstodloch with his mum, but had been drinking in Elgin on Sunday, July 31, and decided to stay at his dad’s house in the town’s Milnefield Avenue.
The fiscal added: “The accused attended several pubs in Elgin that day with a group of friends, and got a taxi to his father’s address at 11pm.
“He was in an emotional and intoxicated state when he arrived there and stayed up with his dad until about 1am.”
The court heard that Stevenson returned to Mosstodloch at 3am, and told his mother he had got a taxi home.
But, 30 minutes later, police officers discovered Mr Stevenson snr’s van on Thornhill Road in Elgin, at the junction with Moray Street.
Ms Swain said: “It was in the middle of the road, with the keys left in the ignition and the complainer’s house keys on the passenger seat.”
Mr Stevenson went to his son’s home at Glebe Street in Mosstodloch when he woke up and realised his van was missing, but the accused initially denied any involvement.
It was at that point that the anxious father phoned the police, and officers questioned Stevenson later that morning.
He was found to have 48 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, more than double the legal limit of 22mcg.
Stevenson later confessed to taking the van – but added he couldn’t remember where he left it.
His lawyer, Brent Lockie, said his client was a first offender and described the incident as a “one off”.
Sheriff James Tierney agreed to defer sentencing until next month for the preparation of social work reports.
