Falkirk court hears how duo broke into garden centre to pinch £22,000 of clothing and cash

Ryan Bland, 29, and Michael Osborne, 37, appeared from custody via video link at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, having pleaded guilty of breaking into a commercial premises and stealing of clothing stealing a quantity of clothing and money at Dobbies Garden World, Drip Road, Stirling on October 19, 2020.

The court heard Osborne, at the time of the offence, had lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was facing “significant financial difficulties’.

He was said to have become involved in this “opportunistic offence with a view to financial gain”.

Osrborne, who suffered significant injuries following the failed getaway car crash, stated the whole affair had been the “biggest mistake of his life”.

Sheriff Craig Harris believed there was little that was “opportunistic” about the crime.

He said: “This was a planned theft from a commercial premises. You went to Dobbies at 3am under the cover of darkness and stole 100 items of clothing and as small sum of money.

"When police arrived you made off and you crashed your vehicle before Mr Bland ran off to hide, only to be found later by a police tracker dog.”

Sheriff Harris noted both accused had previous convictions and stated only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

He sentenced Bland, 27 Niddrie Marischal Grove, Edinburgh, to 405 days in prison and Osborne, 49 Niddrie Marischal Grove, Edinburgh, to 378 days in prison. Both sentences were back dated to March 16.