Taxi Driver Online

Smithton ferret thief caught on CCTV camera





James Marshall is led into court.

A YOUNG man who stole ferrets from a garden shed in Inverness was hoping to sell them on to clear drug debts, Inverness Sheriff Court heard.

Solicitor John McColl said James Marshall and an unnamed accomplice came up with the "hair-brained idea" which landed him in custody on remand since February 24.

Marshall (20), of Smithton Park, was arrested following the disappearance of a number of family pets in the Smithton area.

He originally faced eight charges which included the theft of guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets and bird food.

Last month, however, the Crown accepted guilty pleas to two charges from Marshall to the theft of four ferrets on February 20 and the attempted theft of a rabbit from a hutch on February 20 - both from properties in Smithton.

Procurator fiscal Karen Smith told Sheriff Alison Stirling the ferrets owner was disturbed about 10.20pm by a security light in the back garden, and by the time he got out the four animals were missing.

"The householder had CCTV and on viewing footage from it he found the accused going into the garden and removing the ferrets from a shed," she said.

The fiscal said one of the ferrets bit Marshall and two escaped and two were removed.

Three days later on February 23, about 4.00am a householder who was getting ready for work observed someone in the back garden at the rabbit hutch and he saw Marshall attempting to open the hutch.

Mr McColl told the court: "It’s a very odd case with the accused displaying peculiar behaviour. It seems the theft of the ferrets was not his idea but that of his accomplice. It was a hair-brained scheme to pay of drug debts. How that would have worked I do not know.

"He’s certainly an animal lover and not an animal hater. He is absolutely disgusted with himself and accepts he acted stupidly and out of character and is extremely remorseful."

Mr McColl said his client had already spent a considerable time since February 24 on remand and sought a non-custodial sentence.

Asked what happened to the ferrets the fiscal said two escaped and two were recovered.

The sheriff ordered Marshall to carry out 175 hours of community service and placed a curfew on him for six months from 10.00pm until 6.00am.


http://www.highland-news.co.uk/News/Smi ... 042012.htm

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

What is the taxi/ph angle here?

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Grandad,

Its from the Highland news.....the one story of the year in Teuchter Dale, let them enjoy it for all its worth.

The 2 missing ones are in one, on there way home to you
That's the home of flat caps ferrets and ee by gum

It's a general section, who cares

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

er skippy thats Yorkshire Grandad lives in Leicestershire i.e the land of stilton cheese hunting and the second best pork pies & sausages in Britain

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

You've got it in one Ms Toots.

Mind you Mr Grandad may have thought that General Issues was the military section on TDO.

Everything present and correct and the like.

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

pmsl....the bloke was a criminal mastermind

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

The futret felon

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http://wingsoverscotland.com/ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/

So what's happening in your bit of Teuchterland?

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He's the slave of all slaves who serves none but himself.

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
Mark Twain

Alba Gu Bràth

It all happens here...but its got bugger all to do with ferrets!! We in the Borders are suave and sophisticated beings who do not indulge in such bestial criminality...unless it Involves Sheep.

those uncouth highlanders aint lived.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaah

_________________
He's the slave of all slaves who serves none but himself.

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.
Mark Twain

Alba Gu Bràth

So true...Wool on Pubes is velcro heaven to many a lonely But and Ben dweller on the dewy bracken covered hills o the borders.

yeah....you know misery

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin