A recovering drug addict stole his parents’ savings to pay off a drugs debt to dealers in Liverpool, Dundee Sheriff Court has heard.
Daniel Spink Cowans (32), of Charleston Drive, stole a safe and a tin of coins from his parents’ home just days after his father had taken pity on him and offered him a bed for the night.
Cowans admitted stealing the safe containing £4200 and a further £400-worth of coins from the house in Liff Road on June 16.
Depute fiscal Vicki Bell said Cowans’ parents had been told he was struggling without money or food and his father had collected him and allowed him to stay the night.
His mother was not happy as she had washed her hands of him and, realising he had caused problems between his parents, Cowans decided to go home but promised to visit, which he did regularly over the next few days.
On June 16, he asked his father if he could go upstairs to collect some DVDs that he had left, and his father agreed and said he could have a bag to put them in.
Later that night he noticed the safe was missing, and two days later Cowans’ mother realised a tin containing £1 and £2 coins had also been taken. They then received a letter from Cowans, apologising for the thefts, which they passed to the police.
His lawyer, Ian Houston, said Cowans had been an addict of illegal drugs until January, but is now on a methadone prescription.Threatened by gangHowever, he had a large drug debt outstanding, and on June 16 he was picked up in a van by a group of men sent by the dealers in Liverpool to whom he owed money.
They threatened him with violence and produced weapons, Mr Houston continued.
“They reeled off the names and addresses of members of his family and it was made very clear to him that if the money was not forthcoming, not only he would suffer,” said the lawyer.
Cowans handed over the safe, which was more like a cashbox, and had no idea how much money it contained until it was broken open and he saw bundles of £100 and £20 notes, said Mr Houston.
The men returned £500 of the cash to him and in a fit of shame he used the money to leave Dundee for several days before returning to face the music, he added.
Sheriff Duff deferred sentence until July 22 and remanded Cowans in custody until then.