A young Skye man who stole ornamental swords after breaking into a solicitor’s house in Wick was foiled by DNA he left behind.
Jordan McPhee, 22, admitted the theft, which occurred on July 30 2019, and was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid community work.
Wick Sheriff Court was told the alarm was raised by a neighbour who spotted a broken window at the house and contacted the police, who discovered that four swords were missing.
The property is owned by Taco Nolf, who regularly appeared for the defence at the town’s court a few years ago. His north home had lain unoccupied for some time.
Fiscal David Barclay said that DNA recovered from the scene led to McPhee, of Castle Crescent, Dunvegan, being charged.
The fiscal added that the case had been “rumbling on for quite some time” due to legal deliberations over whether the house had been secure at the time of the break-in, but this issue had been resolved.
‘Self-induced intoxication’
Michael Chapman told Sheriff Joseph Platt that McPhee had been influenced by “self-induced intoxication” at the time of the break-in but had since stopped taking drink or drugs, which had been a significant factor in his previous offending.
The solicitor added: “He has not offended since” and invited the sheriff to adopt a sentencing recommendation in a background report.
