Aberdeen thief thanks sheriff and offers to get him a pint

A thief snared after cops found his DNA in blood at the scene thanked a sheriff and offered to buy him a pint.

Christopher Fraser, known as Thom, 46, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted a charge of theft by housebreaking.

Sheriff Andrew Miller deferred sentence for reports and as Fraser exited the courtroom he shouted “Thank you, judge. I’ll get you a pint some time”.

Sheriff Miller did not respond.

Fraser, whose address was given in court papers as Northsea Court, Aberdeen, had pleaded guilty to breaking into a flat on Leslie Terrace in Aberdeen and stealing an Xbox One games console along with a game and camping equipment.

Fiscal depute Katy Begg told the court that around noon on August 13 last year a witness had returned home and found the communal door of the building had been “forced open somehow”.

The witness found a “glass panel” shattered on the front door and the games console, game and camping equipment missing from inside. Ms Begg said the items taken were valued at more than £800 and were not recovered.

She added: “Police received information DNA had been obtained from a blood spot in the property and matched the accused.”

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Defence agent Paul Barnett said: “Clearly Mr Fraser has a fairly significant record.”

However, he added, his last offence for dishonesty was more than a decade ago in 2006.

Mr Barnett asked for sentence to be deferred for reports.

He added: “I was hoping consideration will perhaps be given to the suitability of a drug treatment and testing order assessment.”

Sheriff Miller said: “I’m going to adjourn this case for sentence to allow time for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report to include an assessment of your suitability for a drug treatment and testing order and for a restriction of liberty order.”

He continued Fraser’s bail in the meantime until the sentencing hearing next month.