Early release prisoner steals from busker

A man found guilty of stealing hundreds of pounds of coins from a sleeping busker’s rucksack was on his way home from early prison release.

CCTV footage shown at Oban Sheriff Court this week nabbed 42-year-old Derek Darrah repeatedly rummaging in the rucksack on a seat next to him for more than three minutes.

Darrah, of 24E Shuna Terrace, Oban, pleaded not guilty to the theft but Sheriff Simon Fraser ruled busker Eric Abraham was a reliable and credible witness who remained unshaken during rigorous cross-examination, reinforcing his evidence even more.

Darrah was ordered to return to prison to serve the 59 days remaining from his previous sentence plus another 10 months to run consecutively.

The court heard how the busker was coming to Oban from Glasgow for a music session on October 21 this year when he was befriended by Darrah who invited him to rest his rucksack on an empty seat next to him at the back of the bus.

Mr Abraham sat on a seat in front of Darrah and dozed off during the journey. It was only when he was getting off in Oban that he realised his rucksack felt lighter and that he had been ‘robbed’, he said.

Darrah had got out of his seat and said goodbye to Mr Abraham before the bus reached Oban.

Of the £500 Mr Abraham said he had in a plastic tub in his rucksack ready to bank in Oban, he was left with just £30.

He told the court: ‘It’s turning my guts watching that video,’ as the footage from the bus was played in the courtroom.

Sheriff Simon Fraser told Darrah: ‘This was thoroughly mean and despicable. You are appalling. Custody is inevitable.

‘You were released that morning and didn’t even get back home before you started thieving again.’