43-year-old hit with £300 court bill for stealing phone from Hawick shop

A 43-year-old man convicted of stealing a mobile phone worth £200 from a Hawick shop has been handed a £300 bill for that offence.

Richard Greens, of McLaren Court in Hawick, pleaded guilty to committing that theft at the One Stop Phone Shop in the town’s High Street on September 13 last year.

Depute fiscal Fiona Hamilton told Jedburgh Sheriff Court that Greens walked into the shop, hid the phone inside his jacket, then walked out without paying for it.

The mobile phone, valued at £200, was not recovered afterwards, she added.

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick explained that his client had no recollection of that crime as he had confiscated some pills from his wife, but then consumed them himself.

Mr Patrick said: “He does not remember what happened because was under the influence.

“He has no idea what happened to the phone.”

Greens was fined £100 and ordered to pay £200 compensation to the shop.

Greens, on £70 a week universal credit, was ordered to pay his court bill at a rate of £10 per fortnight.