Thief stole garden tools

A thief high on methadone and sleeping tablets had no recollection of stealing tools from a garden shed in St Ninians.

Cameron Longridge, of Bannockburn Road, Stirling, admitted stealing gardening equipment on September 6 this year while on bail on another matter.

The 35-year-old had also pleaded guilty to a breaching a curfew imposed as a bail condition. He had been outwith his home between the hours of 7pm and 7am when he carried out the theft of the tools.

Stirling Sheriff Court last Wednesday was told that Longridge was seen by a witness depositing a large bag in the front garden of 2 Borestone Crescent in Stirling at 7.55pm on September 6. A report was also made to police about the theft of garden equipment from a wooden shed at neighbouring 1 Borestone Crescent.

Officers attended at 8.05pm and found the large bag along with two more bags. Among the items in the bags were tools which included spanners, a spirit level, two rolls of tape, a USB cable, a Stanley knife, a large wooden hammer and electrical items. The total value of the items was £110.

Longridge’s solicitor Frazer McCready told Sheriff William Gilchrist that the items were taken from an unlocked garden shed. Within half an hour of the theft Longridge had been apprehended by the police but had no recollection of the crime. He had been taking over the counter sleeping tablets on top of a methadone prescription. Longridge had been remanded in custody since September 10.

Longridge also appeared before the court for a review a drug treatment and testing order imposed in August, 2018, on a charge of stealing a mobile phone and two bank cards while on bail. These offences had occurred in Mayfield Street in Stirling on April 13, 2018. Longridge had since received a number of custodial sentences, Sheriff Gilchrist noted.

Mr McCready asked him to defer sentence to allow Longridge engage with the order or restrict the period of imprisonment as Longridge was “desperate” to get out of prison to spend Christmas with his son.

Sheriff Gilchrist deferred sentence for a psychiatric report until December 18. The drug treatment review was also continued to that date. Longridge was remanded in custody meantime.