A Dunfermline man who bought alcohol for children was told he could have gone to jail if they had drunk it.
John Honeyman (52) bought Buckfast and cider for a group of youngsters aged between 11 and 13 in Rosyth.
Police caught up with the group before they had a chance to drink the alcohol, which was bought by the accused from Good News in Park Road.
Honeyman, of Urquhart Crescent, pleaded guilty to carrying out the offence on November 17 last year.
Sheriff Craig McSherry said: “Had these children consumed the drink, I would certainly have considered a sentence of imprisonment.”
Instead, the sheriff imposed a fine of £350. Depute fiscal Claire Bremner said the group of six children had decided to “share their funds” and ask an adult to buy alcohol for them.
Two members of the group recognised Honeyman as someone they knew and the accused was asked to buy alcohol. The children asked for two bottles of Buckfast, two three-litre bottles of cider and a two-litre bottle of cider.
Ms Bremner said: “The accused agreed to purchase alcohol for the children. They gave him the money.
“The accused took the money and walked towards the locus. The group of children thereafter made their way to a car park in order to wait for the accused. The accused thereafter entered the shop.”
The court heard police officers saw Honeyman head towards the children with carrier bags.
“The children saw the police officers and warned the accused that the police were there,” said Ms Bremner.
Honeyman later met up with the children at King’s Road Primary School and handed over the carrier bags.
Solicitor Stephen Morrison said Honeyman had an alcohol problem and was intoxicated at the time.
“Certainly, when sober he wouldn’t involve himself in this particular kind of conduct again,” he added.