A thief who cut his hand as he broke into a country cottage and stole thousands of pounds was caught after a trail of blood he left behind linked him to the scene.
Serial offender Jamie Davidson targeted the remote farmhouse near Ellon and made off with £5,000 – just two months after being released early from his last period in detention.
He had previously been locked up from breaking into a home in the west end of Aberdeen and stealing electrical goods worth thousands of pounds.
Yesterday the 20-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted carrying out the break-in near Ellon on November 18.
The court heard that because of his criminal record his DNA was on file, enabling police to link him to the scene of the crime.
And when he was arrested two weeks later, Davidson had a scabbed-over wound to his hand.
Fiscal depute David Bernard said the owners of the property had left it locked and secured on the morning of the offence.
He said £5,000 had been split between five white envelopes which had then been placed in the top drawer of a bedside cabinet.
The court heard they returned home to find a window had been broken and the cash was missing. The back door was also ajar.
Mr Bernard said blood spots leading from the broken window to the kitchen were found and later analysed and proved to be a match to Davidson.
The court heard the owners of the property did not know the serial thief and he would have had no other reason for being in their home.
Davidson’s agent, solicitor Tony Burgess, said his client had found himself under significant pressure to repay a debt.
He said those he owed money to had started to threaten him and his mother’s safety and that he felt he had no option but to commit the crime.
He said: “He found himself in debt to people who do not use legitimate means of regaining the money they insist they are due.
“I know it was only two months since he was released from his last sentence but I am surprised he was able to wait so long before he committed the offence.”
The court heard the money had still not been recovered.
Mr Burgess added: “I am hopeful that when he comes out there will be no further pressure on him to repay any debts and he can start his life afresh.”
Davidson, who portrays himself online with his face masked and a replica gun, was previously sent to detention after targeting a property in Morningfield Mews and stealing a high-end television and a laptop as well as a number of razor blades.
Sheriff Alison Stirling said that given the sum of money involved and the short space of time between his release from custody, she had no alternative but to give him a custodial sentence.
She said: “In my view the only option here is to impose a period in custody.
“As you will appreciate I am concerned to see you in the solemn courts having given you a period in detention for summary matters.
“I do hope that after this period has been completed you can get some help turning your life around from what has been a life of crime for some years.”
Davidson, of Aberdeen, was ordered to return to detention to serve four months of his previous sentence.
He was also sentenced to a further eight months behind bars.