A Moray man who cut the brake cables of a car he incorrectly thought belonged to a paedophile was lucky he was not charged with attempted murder, a sheriff told him.
Callum Stewart, 25, was warned prison is on the cards as he admitted tampering with the innocent man’s Dacia Duster that was parked outside a property in Mosstodloch.
Sheriff Gary Aitken told him: “This is borderline attempted murder.
“I can think of few things more vindictive or potentially catastrophic than cutting the brake cables and hoses of a car.”
Fiscal depute Alison Young told the court that the Dacia owner had parked his car at his mother’s house before getting a bus to an event.
She added that on June 18 2023 Stewart, of Speymouth Drive, Mosstodloch, had been drinking with a friend, who told him that a paedophile lived in the street.
“He pointed out the address and Stewart went up to the property. CCTV filmed him and his DNA was found on the car,” Mrs Young said.
‘You are facing a potentially very long prison sentence’
“When the owner returned to pick up his car, when he switched it on, the alarm sounded that there was a fault with the brakes. The car was driveable but if he had taken it out, it would not have been able to stop.
“The owner is not a paedophile. The accused got the wrong house and the wrong car.”
When traced by police and arrested, Stewart denied carrying out the crime.
Sheriff Aitken deferred sentence until December 24 for a background report, but he warned Stewart: “You should be under no illusion – you are facing a potentially very long prison sentence.”
His lawyer, Stephen Carty said his client recognised the seriousness of the offence and he would reserve his comments of mitigation until sentencing.
Stewart’s bail was continued and the Sheriff added: “You should not read anything into that.”