A 14-year-old girl lost consciousness and ended up in hospital after drinking vodka with a 15-year-old friend.
David Rae, 18, of High Street, Galashiels, pleaded guilty to buying alcohol for the two girls at the town’s Tesco store on December 6. He also admitted supplying it to them, when the 14-year-old drank it to the danger of her life.
Depute procurator fiscal Tessa Bradley told how the girl’s mother found her daughter in a drunken state and took her to Borders General Hospital after she collapsed.
Ms Bradley added: “Her blood-alcohol reading was 166mgs, which is over twice the drink-driving limit of 80.”
Stock systems at Tesco revealed just one bottle of green apple vodka had been bought that day, and CCTV footage showed Rae making the purchase and meeting up with the girls.
Rae told police: “I’m sorry it ever happened. It’s never going to happen again.”
The accused’s solicitor said Rae had initially said no when asked to buy the alcohol, but felt pressured into doing it.
Sheriff Peter Paterson fined Rae £400.
STOLE FROM NEIGHBOUR, 87
A 55-year-old man stole money from a frail and elderly neighbour while she was in hospital to pay for his drug abuse.
John Harpur had suffered a relapse in his battle against drug use when he committed the offence.
Harpur, of St Dunstan’s Park, Melrose, admitted stealing £460 by using a bank card at a Royal Bank of Scotland ATM in the town between February 23 and March 2 last year.
The self-employed plasterer used the card while the 87-year-old woman was hospitalised after a fall.
Prosecutor Tessa Bradley told how the accused’s wife would regularly visit the neighbour and collected clothes for her while she was in hospital.
When the woman’s son went to the house, he noticed a cheque book and PIN number appeared to be out of place, and he removed her debit card for safe keeping. When he checked his mother’s account, he noticed three strange withdrawals.
Harpur’s wife went to visit her neighbour in hospital, but was told she didn’t want to see her as money was missing from her bank account.
Ms Bradley added: “Her husband broke down and admitted he had taken it, having relapsed into drug use. The money has been repaid and he went to the hospital and apologised to her.”
Defending, Mat Patrick conceded it was an unpleasant offence, adding: “He is 55 years old and has struggled with drug addiction since he was 15. He has a settled personal life and a good work history.”
Harpur was sentenced to a 15-month community payback order, with a drug treatment requirement.
FOUR MONTHS FOR SHOPLIFTER
A shoplifter who stole to fund a drug habit was jailed for four months.
Paul Crowe took clothing worth £45 from Sports Direct at Low Buckholmside, Galashiels, on July 28 last year.
The court heard how there had been no recovery of the stolen goods, which were sold to buy drugs.
The 38-year-old, of Glendinning Terrace, Galashiels, also admitted stealing aftershave from Asda in the town’s Currie Road on August 16 last year.
His lawyer, Mat Patrick, said: “He was very candid and said the clothing has been sold to buy drugs.”
BROKE CURFEW CONDITION
Dean Brown was sentenced to 75 hours of unpaid work after he admitted breaching a bail condition and failing to appear at court.
Brown, 19, of Orchard Park, Kelso, appeared from custody and admitted breaching a curfew to remain at his home at High Tweed Mill, Galashiels, where he was staying on January 26, when he was found at another flat in the building.
“He was slumped on a sofa, asleep, and heavily under the influence of alcohol,” explained depute procurator fiscal Tessa Bradley.
Brown also pleaded guilty to failing to appear at Selkirk Sheriff Court on February 24.
WINDOW SMASHED
After an argument with his ex-partner, Scott Dalgliesh broke a window.
The 32-year-old, of Tweedbank View, Tweedbank, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at a house at Forest Crescent in Galashsiels on March 1, and was fined £150. He was fined a further £100 and ordered to pay £196.86 compensation for the damage he caused after pleading guilty to recklessly damaging a window there.
Prosecuting, Tessa Bradley said: “He said he wanted a key to the shed to remove some property and his ex-wife said it wasn’t convenient and asked him to leave. She told him she was calling the police and heard smashing, and found both panes had been broken in the bathroom window.”
Mat Patrick, defending, said his client had an argument with his ex-partner.
The lawyer went on: “He says that she, verbally, gave as good as she got. He is not proud at having lost his temper. He used his fist to hit the window as he was frustrated, but didn’t intend to break it.”
CAR VICTIM OF BIRTHDAY BASH
After leaving an 18th birthday party, drunken Sean Keene pulled the wing mirror from a car parked outside and head-butted the vehicle.
Keene, 18, of Station Road, Stow, appeared from custody and admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Galashiels Road, Stow, on Saturday and damaging a vehicle there.
Tessa Bradley, prosecuting, said Keene had been a guest at the party, but his behaviour was such that he was asked to leave, adding: “He was abusive, shouting and swearing.”
A neighbour, whose car was parked outside, heard the noise and looked out of the window to see the accused damaging her vehicle.
Defence solicitor Iain Burke said his client had little recollection of the offence, adding: “He had been avoiding alcohol, but over-indulged on this occasion and spent the weekend in custody as a result.”
Sentence was deferred for six months for the accused to pay for the damage he caused.
BENEFITS ALLEGATION
A St Boswells woman charged with falsely obtaining more than £12,000 in benefits will stand trial on July 1.
Tina Mackenzie, 47, of Jenny Moore’s Court, denies obtaining income support, housing and council tax benefit to the value of £12,330.24 to which she was not entitled, between August 25, 2011, and March 31 last year.
An intermediate hearing was set for June 2.
DRUNK AND ABUSIVE
A drunken Hawick man was fined £300.
John Chapman, 48, of Chay Blyth Place, appeared from custody and admitted behaving in an abusive manner, shouting and swearing, in Chay Blyth Place on Saturday.
Depute procurator fiscal Tessa Bradley said Chapman was heavily under the influence of alcohol when he committed the offence. His mood deteriorated when he returned home after a party.
Defending, Iain Burke said his client was “abjectly apologetic”, adding: “He has no explanation, other than the amount of alcohol he had drunk.”
CO-OP BOOZE THIEFS
Stealing vodka from a Galashiels shop cost Emma Elliot and Scott Dalgliesh a fine each.
Elliot, 25, of Balmoral Place, Galashiels, was fined £100, and Dalgliesh, 32, of Tweedbank View, Tweedbank, £150, after they admitted the theft of alcohol from the Gala Park Co-op on January 9.
Both were seen entering the shop and taking a bottle of vodka each, hiding it and leaving. Each bottle was worth £11.55 and there was no recovery.
Defending, Mat Patrick said Dalgliesh had been unemployed at the time and was drinking too much. “He remembers very little about it,” added the lawyer, who said his client was now employed.
Mr Patrick said Elliot had “struggled with drink and drugs for some time” and also had little recollection of the offence.
SENTENCE DEFERRED
Jamie Wilkinson, 35, of Thistle Street, Galashiels, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at his home on January 25.
At a previous hearing, prosecutor Tessa Bradley said there had been difficulties in his relationship and the woman had gone to stay with a relative. She returned to collect belongings and found Wilkinson asleep on a couch.
The woman tried not to disturb him as she packed her things, and was about to take the final box to a car when he woke.
Ms Bradley added: “She told him the relationship was over and she had left a letter for him, but he followed her out ranting and raving. She hurriedly got into the car and he punched the window.”
Defending, Ross Dow said:“His pleas for her not to leave him fell on deaf ears.”
Sentence was deferred until April 28 for reports.