A yob who tried to steal a mobility scooter – and caused £3,000 of damage in the process – has been jailed.
James Smith, 37, was caught tampering with the mobility aid, which belonged to his friend’s 47-year-old cousin.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the owner of the scooter had parked it outside a property on Tedder Street in Aberdeen on Thursday at 1pm.
When he went in he found Smith was also inside, but left to retrieve his mobile phone and when he returned Smith had gone.
Mr Townsend said: “A short time later a man working at a nearby address observed the accused acting suspiciously, tampering with the scooter before taking a seat on it.
“He believed the accused was attempting to steal it so contacted police. As he contacted the police the scooter’s owner heard a commotion outside and saw Smith outside tampering with it, believed he was trying to steal it and shouted at him.”
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Police later traced Smith and it was found both the front and rear brakes had been taken off, along with the plastic cover to the electrical box, exposing wiring to the elements, causing £3,000 of damage.
Smith, of no fixed abode, pled guilty to removing the brakes and wiring cover from a mobility scooter and attempting to steal it.
He also admitted breaching a community payback order and failing to pay a fine.
Defence agent Graham Morrison said his client had his own mobility difficulties due to having deep vein thrombosis, adding: “That’s why he targeted the scooter.”
He added: “He was in hospital for two weeks. They were very close to amputating his leg. That’s been a wake up call, he has to get clean.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace jailed him for a total of 10 months.
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