Morar man ‘black sheep of family’ after offence
A Morar man who had to return from working in New Zealand to face criminal proceedings after a drunken escapade with someone else’s car saw him charged, has been banned from holding a driving licence for five months and fined £540.
At Fort William Sheriff Court last week, Robert John de Fresnes, of Allt an Loin, Morar, pleaded guilty to taking and driving away the car without the owner’s consent.
Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald heard de Fresnes, aged 23, had described himself to police as being ‘steaming’ drunk at the time of the incident.
Procurator Fiscal Robert Weir told the court that it was on October 9, 2016, that the vehicle’s owner had left it parked and unlocked, with the keys still in the ignition, during a function at the Arisaig Hotel.
‘The vehicle was taken [by the accused] and driven six miles to the locus near to the area where Mr De Fresnes resides,’ explained Mr Weir.
‘The incident came to light the following morning and was reported to the police. DNA samples taken from the car, mainly from the steering wheel and gearstick, subsequently led to the identification of Mr de Fresnes.
‘As a result, Mr de Fresnes was detained and interviewed by police.
‘His position was that at the time he was ‘steaming’ and as a result could not remember anything about what had happened.’
Defence agent Hamish Melrose said his client was in full employment and worked across Scotland for an Edinburgh-based rope works company.
‘He had gone to New Zealand after this incident happened to stay for seven or eight months, but around July last year, he came back from New Zealand so this matter could be dealt with,’ said Mr Melrose.
‘Unfortunately, due to various adjournments and the three types of forensics reports that were required, it has taken quite a while.’
Mr Melrose told the court de Fresnes had brothers and a sister and was now regarded as ‘the black sheep of the family as far as this incident is concerned’.
After noticing the keys in the car’s ignition and then driving off in it, de Fresnes had left the vehicle in a parking bay adjacent to his own home.
‘There was no damage to the vehicle and it was fully recovered,’ added Mr Melrose.
The court heard that de Fresnes only held a provisional driving licence and had just had a single driving lesson.
Passing sentence, Sheriff MacDonald told de Fresnes: ‘You took someone else’s car to get a lift home and left them without it, causing expense and trouble to the police who had to investigate the incident and no doubt also to the people who owned the car as well.’
Sheriff MacDonald said she took into account de Fresnes had not been in trouble with the law before or since the incident.
On a further charge of attempting to steal a vehicle from a gated garden at Kinloid, Arisaig, on October 10 2016, de Fresnes had his plea of not guilty accepted by the Crown.