A thief lurked by a bank machine before snatching cash from the hands of an 80-year-old woman.
Scott Mutch left the pensioner badly shaken after grabbing £50 from her outside the TSB building on Bridge Street in Ellon.
The 33-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday, where he claimed he had acted out of “desperation” due to a longstanding drug addiction.
Sheriff Christine McCrossan agreed to spare Mutch a prison sentence only because of the deep remorse he had since shown.
She instead ordered him to remain under supervision for 18 months and to perform 180 hours of unpaid work.
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson said that victim had seen Mutch at the bank machine before her on Monday, August 28.
“The victim noticed that the accused did not withdraw any money, and then stepped back,” she said.
“The woman then moved towards the machine, thinking that the accused had left the area.
“She entered her code and withdrew £50, but Mutch suddenly reached over her right shoulder and grabbed the notes before running off.
“The victim cried for help, and two other people ran over to her.”
The court heard that the other witnesses attempted to stop the accused from fleeing the scene, but he escaped their clutches.
When the police tracked Mutch down, he still had the £50 in his possession and confessed that he had intended to spend it on drugs.
Ms Simspon added: “The accused told the police he wasn’t a bad person, just a drug addict.”
Mutch, of the town’s Banavie Court, admitted a single charge of stealing £50 in cash.
The money was later returned to the pensioner.
Defence agent Les Green said Mutch had been struggling with a drug problem “for years”.
Mr Green added: “He is very conscious of how bad this offence is.
“He acted out of desperation, and is genuine in his expression of regret.”
Sheriff McCrossan commended the accused for showing “analysis into his own behaviour” during meetings with social workers.
She told Mutch: “As a result of how disgusted you were with yourself, and how you felt you had sunk to a new low, I am willing to deal with this by community disposal.”