Nephew nicked own Xmas gift

Relation took jumper and money

A Fallin man who stole his own Christmas-present jumper, left his DNA on torn wrapping paper – and was arrested while wearing the item – has been jailed.

Ryan McNeil had been invited to spend Christmas morning at his aunt’s house, but he was late and by the time he turned up the family had gone out for Christmas lunch, Stirling Sheriff Court was told this week.

When they returned home McNeil’s aunt, Ann Adams, found that the pile of presents beneath her tree had been ransacked and a jumper she had wrapped up for the accused, together with £70 in an envelope for her daughter, were both missing.

Prosecutor Kyrsten Buist said: “The complainer, who is the accused’s auntie, suspected that he might have been involved and contacted police.

“There was blood on a piece of Christmas wrapping paper that matched his, so it became evident that he had been in the property.

“When he was detained by the police a few days later he was wearing the jumper stolen from the house.

“So effectively he stole his own Christmas present, and a quantity of cash.”

McNeil had originally been charged with theft by housebreaking, but his guilty plea to the less serious offence of simple theft was accepted by the prosecution. The incident occurred on December 25 last year at Mrs Adams’ home in Cornton.

Frazer McCready, defending, said Mrs Adams had not wanted McNeil prosecuted.

The defence agent said she thought that the 23-year-old father-of-two, whose mother died last year, and whose 20 month-old son had been born with only one kidney – meaning the tot regularly has to attend hospital in Glasgow, “had enough on his plate”.

Mr McCready said: “On Christmas Day he didn’t arrive at the time expected by Ann Adams, and when he did arrive there was no-one at home.

“A neighbour provided a statement to say that about 3.30pm he heard banging on the door of the close, and that was Ryan trying to see his aunt.

“Unfortunately she wasn’t there. He managed to get in and rummaged through the presents under the tree and saw the one for him.”

Mr McCready said the jumper was wrapped up with a tag on it, with McNeil’s name on it, so he put it on.

He added: “It wasn’t a novelty Christmas jumper, it was a jumper for Christmas.

“He also saw an envelope and he helped himself and left the house.

“Effectively he took a jumper that was meant for him anyway.”

Sheriff William Gilchrist jailed McNeil – described as having a number of previous convictions – for six months.

He said: “The sum of money wasn’t his and wasn’t intended for him.”

Effectively he took a jumper that was meant for him anyway