A thief spoiled Christmas by raiding a Kirkcaldy house and stealing the family’s tickets to Disneyland Paris.
Gordon McArthur’s haul of stolen presents included computer devices, tickets and vital holiday documents.
After making off with two large sacks of presents, he also stole a credit card and went on a spending spree with it before the police tracked him down.
McArthur, 41, currently a prisoner at Perth, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
He admitted that on December 19 he broke into a house in Chestnut Avenue, Kirkcaldy and stole a purse and its contents, a credit card, a bag, a quantity of electrical items, household items, Disneyland tickets and quantity of holiday documentation.
He also admitted that on that same date at Nisa, Overton Road, Loco, St Clair Street, Malthurst petrol station and two Bains Premier stores in St Clair Street, he pretended to employees that he was the lawful holder of a Tesco credit card and obtained £87.47 worth of cigarettes by fraud.
Depute fiscal Sarah Lumsden said the victim got up on the morning the week before Christmas to discover someone had broken in through a window.
At 3.30am, a neighbour looked out of his window and saw a male crouching down by a hedge and then walking off carrying two bags.
The haul included iPad computers, two Disneyland Paris tickets, each worth £279 and a Harry Potter duvet.
Still carrying the bags, McArthur then went on a spending spree, buying over £80 worth of cigarettes from various shops.
The victim had contacted her bank and was told her card was being used.
Defence solicitor Alexander Flett said, “He accepts the matter is an unpleasant one.
“He’s had a significant problem with drugs.
“On this occasion he had taken Valium and Xanax and he doesn’t have much recollection thereafter.”
Sheriff Charles MacNair told McArthur, “People are entitled to feel secure in their home and you have a very bad record.”
He jailed McArthur for 16 months backdated to December 20 when he was taken into custody.
