A grieving brother committed a string of offences as he struggled to cope with the murder of his sibling, a court was told.
Perth Sheriff Court heard that Murray Christie was sent off the rails after his younger brother, Sandy Kelly, was stabbed to death two years ago.
Just weeks before his tragic loss, the 33-year-old was attacked by his brother’s killer with a knife and solicitor Jamie Morris said it left a mark.
During one of his “wild phases”, he was caught stealing copper piping from the toilets of the Drumhar Medical Centre in Perth.
Staff had watched him enter the facility in August 2011 and an investigation revealed a mixer tap was also missing. A contrite Christie has since repaid the medical centre £300 for the cost of the damage.
Within two months, however, he was offending again and was caught driving at Bute Drive on October 18 2011 while disqualified and without insurance.
Mr Morris told the court his client’s mother revealed this was down to her, as she had told her son his five-year ban, imposed on November 9 2006, had expired.
“She asked him to go to the shops for her,” he said.
“She keeps closer tabs on the administrative side of things, so thought the disqualification period had ended.”
Christie admitted to a third charge of attempting to steal money from a phone box at Riggs Road on September 30 last year.
The court heard that his attempts were overheard by local residents and he was seen leaving the facility with a crowbar and a hammer.
Depute fiscal Stuart Richardson said: “There wasn’t much damage done to the money box it was a pretty feeble attempt.”
Mr Morris admitted it was a “feckless effort” by his client.
He added: “This has all stemmed from the death of his brother and I think this comes across in any dealings with social workers.”
Christie, of Kestrel Way, appeared for sentence after breaching a community payback order imposed for earlier offences.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said that, while he recognised restitution had been made for one offence, he could not overlook the fact that a community payback order had been breached.