Addict turned thief after dog sale for drugs

A junkie sold his partner's dog for £40 and Valium and then broke into an 81-year-old stranger's home.
Gardiner took Valium before breaking into the 81-year-olds homeGardiner took Valium before breaking into the 81-year-olds home
Gardiner took Valium before breaking into the 81-year-olds home

After the sale Robert Gardiner (44) was wandering around in a drug-induced haze and felt he had been fleeced on the money portion of the deal.

He claimed he broke into the house of the man who bought the dog to get some kind of compensation.

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However, he actually broke into the home of an 81-year-old man, who had nothing to do with the matter whatsoever, and stole alcohol, cash and a telephone.

Gardiner appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pled guilty to the theft he committed at a house in the Falkirk area on January 27.

William McIntyre, defence solicitor, said Gardiner, 50 Blaefaulds Crescent, Denny, has struggled with drug addiction in the past and was “befuddled” at the time of the offence.

Mr McIntyre said: “The excuse is so bizarre it can only be true. His partner bought a dog for £150 and she was still paying it off in instalments. He took the dog and sold it for £40 and some Valium pills.

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“He found he was short of the £40 and went around to the rear of the premises and found himself in a property. Believing he was in the home of the person who duped him he stole the items.

“He had no idea he was stealing from anyone other than the person who had stolen from him.”

Sheriff John Mundy said Gardiner’s explanation was not satisfactory and jailed him for 12 months.