Moray Council: Curfew-breaker denied being himself
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A defendant caught in Elgin breaking his night-time curfew tried to pretend to the police that he was somebody else.
However Lee Slater's plan failed badly as the officers had already been to his home earlier in their shift.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard that at about 9.10pm on April 11, the police called to the property on Dunvegan Crescent.
They were there to check that Slater was complying with his bail conditions that he stayed indoors between 7pm-7am.
However, after the police has gone, he left his property and drove over to the other side of town.
Another bail condition which had also been imposed by the court the previous October banned him from entering Meadow Crescent.
However that was where, at about 12.50am the following morning, the officers came across Slater who driving a Mini.
Told that the 22-year-old had initially tried to deny being himself, Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood said: "Well, that was doomed to failure. He's not very good as a criminal, is he?"
After admitting his identity, Slater then told the police that he had gone to his parents' home because he needed some items for work.
Defence solicitor Iain Maltman stressed that the court order not to visit to Meadow Crescent was related to an alleged issue with someone else who lived there, rather than Slater's family.
Sheriff Fleetwood imposed a £200 fine, which the defendant agreed to pay at a rate of £50/month.
