A Dundee man who rigged up a DIY power plant in his bedroom with a generator suspended from the ceiling has been jailed.
Charles McKenzie set up the system in his 14th floor flat after his electricity supply was cut off due to unpaid bills.
McKenzie was previously given a community payback order for the offence but had breached that by subsequently stealing electricity and metal.
He returned to court on Thursday and was given a prison sentence after those orders were revoked.
McKenzie, 57, now of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, had pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable and reckless conduct with total disregard for the safety of himself and others and to the danger of the lieges.
He further admitted two charges of stealing electricity.
Defence solicitor Michael Short said: “The reason he is here today is the Government will not give assistance.
“For us to say ‘go and get this resolved’ is impossible. He needs to have some sort of (electrical) power.
“We have never had to live without power. He has had to live without power for years.
“Poor people have to beg or go to family he cannot do that. He has a history of drug addiction and has burned his bridges.
“We have a society that doesn’t care.”
Jailing McKenzie for a total of 14 months, Sheriff George Way told him: “You understand that this was an unbelievably stupid thing to do.
“This was an act of awesome recklessness which you persuaded me at the time was an act of utter desperation.
“You were given a chance despite the doubts I had,” he said.
“But after that you were stealing electricity again and going into places to steal.”