A JOHNSTONE man has paid the price for a botched bid to steal bricks from a building site.


Anthony Campbell, 37, launched the raid in Paisley during broad daylight, while wearing a bright pink t-shirt.


When caught, he told police he was trying to steal bricks that he wanted to give as a gift to his stepfather so he could sit pot plants on them.


Campbell, 37, appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court last week to admit being found on a building site in Hunterhill Road, while intending to commit theft, on July 14 this year.


Procurator fiscal depute Frankie Morgan said a security guard working at the building site was alerted to Campbell’s presence by a CCTV operator.


The police were called and Campbell, of Russell Street, Johnstone, was caught nearby.


He told officers: “Obviously I’ve been in there trying to steal bricks.”


Defence solicitor Rhona Lynch explained that Campbell had been trying to break the law so he could please his family. She said Campbell was guilty of an deeply regrets this “opportunistic offence".


“He committed it in broad daylight while wearing fluorescent clothing,” she added. “That gives a flavour of how foolish it was.”


“He tells me his stepfather was looking for bricks for his pot plants. He was looking for a couple of odd bricks to give to his stepfather so he could prop his pot plants up on them.”


Ms Lynch asked for leniency for Campbell, saying he was an alcoholic and drug addict who was currently stable on a methadone programme and trying to conquer his alcoholism.


She added that he had spent 14 hours behind bars after being arrested for the offence and would struggle to complete a Community Payback Order while trying to get sober.


After pointing out that Campbell had built up an extensive criminal record, which had seen him jailed many times, Sheriff Moira MacKenzie said she was just persuaded to deal with him by way of a fine.


She ordered him to hand over £200, reduced from £300 as he admitted his guilt, at the rate of £5 per week.