Thief stole smoothies and earphones from WH Smith in Inverness to feed his drug habit
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A DRUG addict currently serving a jail term in Porterfield Prison in Inverness was brought to court to face a charge of theft from the WH Smith store in the city’s railway station.
Steven Potter (36) of Kessock Road, Inverness, but currently an inmate at the city prison, admitted to stealing two smoothies as well as a set of JBL earphones from the shop on December 30 last year.
He was on bail in connection with other offences at the time of the incident.
Depute fiscal Martin Eastwood told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald at Inverness Sheriff Court that the smoothies could not be resold after being recovered while the earphones – which were valued at £39.99 – were never recovered.
Defence solicitor Willie Young told the court that Potter was currently serving a seven-month sentence.
He was expected to be released from that sentence in December he said.
Mr Young asked Sheriff Macdonald to impose a sentence which would not impact on his client’s current expected release date.
He told the court that Potter had little recollection of the incident from last December.
He had been attempting to secure funds to feed his drug habit he said.
Mr Young also told the court that his client was currently on a methadone recovery programme being administered through the prison.
Potter’s dosage was being gradually reduced he added.
Sheriff Macdonald imposed a £225 fine with no time to pay due to Potter’s current prison sentence. The alternative of 14 days imprisonment was applied instead.
