Thief pinches £400 to fund partner's drug habit

Damien Campbell (36) stole £394 of electrical items during two trips to Adsa, in Newmarket Street, Falkirk so he could sell them for cash to buy drugs. The items were not recovered.

Appearing at the court last Thursday, Campbell had already pled guilty to the thefts he committed on June 15 and June 18.

The court heard Campbell turned to theft because his partner’s methadone prescription had been terminated and, as his solicitor put it, decided to turn to crime in a misguided act of chivalry on her behalf.

His solicitor stated Campbell now wants to leave that lifestyle behind and but at the moment he was struggling to find work.

Sheriff John Mundy placed Campbell, 2 Keir Avenue, Stirling, on a supervised community payback order for nine months. The sheriff heard more details of another crime in a superstore when Robert Thorpe (45) came before him last Thursday charged with carrying a bladed weapon in public.

Thorpe, who appeared from custody, had long ago admitted the offence he committed at Tesco, in Wallace Street, Stirling on November 28, 2014.

The court heard Thorpe started to draw attention to himself in the shop.

Police were called and when Thorpe was searched officers found a Stanley knife in his possession which he claimed he had been using for “legitimate” DIY purposes.

Thorpe, who was said to live a “very quiet life”, had not committed any further offences in three years. Unfortunately he had received 200 hours unpaid work for this last offence in 2014 and had not done a single hour.

Thorpe’s solicitor said his client would be prepared to be made subject to a restriction of liberty order (ROLO) because his lifestyle was such that he was usually in bed by the time a ROLO kicked in – usually between 7pm and 7am.

Sheriff Mundy placed Thorpe, 46a Broad Street, Denny, on supervised community payback order for 18 months.