Man who stole cash using bank card spared prison sentence

A man who acted as an informant for others while supposedly helping a vulnerable person was spared a custodial sentence when he appeared in court.

John Neil, 29, of Mounthooly Street, Lerwick, had worked with others by telling them the whereabouts of a bank card within an address at Annsbrae House on 6th September.

He previously admitted stealing £50 in cash from the Royal Bank of Scotland’s teller machine, using the same bank card to do so.

In a separate incident, he smashed the window of an external door to to the building of communal flats where he lives.

Sentence had been deferred for reports, and for Neil to pay for the damage to the window.

The court heard he had so far failed to make any payments to the council for the window. He has also still to pay his victim the £50 back he took from the bank account.

However defence agent Tommy Allan said a social inquiry report had been “fairly positive”. Adding Neil was at a “critical point”, Mr Allan said he seemed to have “grasped the nettle” and was dealing with his problems.

“It’s going to be a struggle for him to get himself drug free but he is doing the right thing and approaching the right people at this point in time.”

Sheriff Graeme Napier told Neil he was lucky to escape a jail sentence. “I thought you were going to be going to custody today. That’s about all I can do with you now, but Mr Allan has persuaded me to allow you to prove you have grown up a bit.”

He handed Neil a 12 month probation order for each offence, and ordered he carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. Neil will also face a review in three months time.