Perth man admits selling hired machinery worth £2,200

A man who sold a piece of garden machinery he had hired from a Blairgowrie business will be sentenced on May 9 at Perth Sheriff Court.

Robert Reid (41), of Kestrel Way, Perth, pleaded guilty to stealing a turf lifter and vibrating plate from Webster’s Garden Machinery in Welton Industrial Estate between September 20 and October 17 last year.

The court heard how Reid hired the machinery, worth £2,200, on September 20 for what was supposed to be a three-day period.

Depute fiscal John Malpass said: “When he’s not returned the property to the store, the owner has attempted to get in contact on several occasions to have the property returned or to get extra payment for the extended hire period.

“Circumstances came to a head on the latter date (on the charge) when there was no satisfactory resolution. The police were then called and the accused was detained.

“He admitted hiring the equipment and failing to return it and admitted to the fact he sold it to an unnamed person.”

Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence for background reports, after noting Reid has a “disturbing” record of previous convictions.