A drug addict who broke into a trawler at a north-east harbour was caught when police found his DNA on the nozzle of a diazepam rectal solution tube.
Karl McGeary, 38, broke into the MFV Unity while it was moored at Balaclava Quay, Fraserburgh Harbour, and ransacked the fishing vessel’s medicine cabinet.
Discarded drugs were found littered around the TV room on board, before forensics had the task of linking DNA found on the rectal solution nozzle to McGeary.
Fiscal depute Felicity Merson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The locus is the fishing vessel MFV Unity, a 38×12.5 metre trawler with five decks moored at Balaclava Quay at Fraserburgh Harbour.”
Mrs Merson said the boat was checked by an employee at 8pm on May 28 last year, and everything was in order.
But when it was checked again the following morning it was discovered the outermost door was damaged and police were contacted.
Police and employees searched the trawler and found four doors damaged, with handles removed and locks damaged.
Around £5,000 worth of damage was caused.
Keep up to date with the latest news with The Evening Express newsletter
Mrs Merson said: “Various rooms and drawers on board had clearly been rummaged through and various items were out of place.
“Consumed and discarded medication were found within the TV room on the mess deck.”
Among the drugs removed from a cabinet were 10 morphine sulphate injection ampules, 28 codeine phosphate tablets, three diazemuls injection ampuls, 28 diazepam tablets, 28 chlorpromazine tablets and three diazepam rectal tubes.
Mrs Merson said: “Among the items found was a diazepam rectal solution which appeared to have been removed from its packaging, opened and consumed.
“This was later subjected to forensic examination. The accused’s DNA was found on swabs taken from the nozzle of the item.”
Foreign currency worth £300-£400 was also stolen and not recovered.
McGeary pled guilty to the unusual charge of theft by shipbreaking.
Defence lawyer Sam Milligan conceded his client had a “significant” record, adding: “The combination of the record and the circumstances would confirm there’s a chronic drug problem.
“The extent or impact of that problem upon his life is referred to in the record in general.”
Mr Milligan said McGeary had large gaps in his offending lasting years while he was on prescriptions to manage his problem and that losing his prescriptions had been the “catalyst” for the offence being committed.
He added: “Mr McGeary accepts that he will require to deal with that root problem.”
Sheriff Philip Mann told McGeary, a prisoner of HMP Grampian: “There really is no alternative to a custodial sentence here, in particular given your substantial record.”
He ordered McGeary to be jailed for 20 months.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.