A PIGEON THIEF who has stolen dozens of prized racing birds from lofts in Moray and Aberdeen has been given a chance to show he can change his ways.
Fochabers man Dean Wells had earlier admitted to Aberdeen Sheriff Court that he had stolen 24 racing pigeons from a loft in the city on April 27.
At his previous court appearance Wells had admitted the theft of the birds, valued at around £1000, from the loft of their owner George Howie, who discovered the theft along with a wicker basket.
Wells was found surrounded by the birds in the bedroom of his home when police arrived to investigate the theft, the 23-year-old already having had a record of similar thefts that led to his serving a six-month sentence for similar crimes in Elgin.
Solicitor Brent Lockie said: “It is a somewhat unusual theft with a somewhat unusual background”, adding that he believed his client had now turned a corner and was making plans for his release by securing a place at a rehabilitation centre.
Mr Lockie added: “He has a partner and a young child. She has very much struggled to look after the child herself and that again has been a salutary lesson.”
Sheriff William Taylor deferred sentence on Wells for six months to allow him time to prove that he had turned a corner.