A brave Fife farmer who confronted thieves at his property was forced to jump out of the way of their car as they sped off.
Daryll McColl, 34, and an accomplice were attempting to take a copper boiler component from Bouprie Farm, near Aberdour.
The owner Stephen Kerr was alerted by his wife and hurried over to confront the pair but McColl, who was at the wheel, revved the engine and drove off.
Mr Kerr’s daughter then chased the pair down and was able to recover the stolen part.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, McColl was handed a decade-long driving ban.
Drove straight at farmer
Fiscal depute Lee-Anne Hannan told the court: “At around 4pm a witness who rents land (at the farm) attended to carry out work.
“Some 20 minutes later the owner of the farm was also doing some work.
“At that time the owner received a call from his partner saying she could see a vehicle parked on the farm and males appeared to be putting something within the vehicle.
“The owner made his way to the vehicle, which was stopped in an access road to the farm.
“He approached and noted the details of the vehicle and stood in front on it, placing his hands on the windscreen and shouted: ‘Get out of the car and take what you’ve taken out’.
“He was told by one person in the car: ‘I take. I take. You not need it’.
“The accused revved the vehicle engine and drove towards the owner of the farm, who was forced to move out of the way to avoid being struck.”
Recovered stolen copper
Mr Kerr’s daughter followed the pair until they burst a tyre and stopped.
She was then able to get the stolen item back.
McColl was identified after stopping the vehicle at a nearby convenience store, where he was captured on CCTV.
Solicitor David Bell, defending, said McColl maintained the farm owner had been at the side of the vehicle rather than in front.
He said: “Mr McColl took off in the vehicle and the farmer stepped back.
“It’s accepted that there was evasive action.”
He said McColl had a long-standing drug problem and had had 13 consecutive jail sentences, adding he had been on remand for the past eight months.
Banned and supervision
McColl, of Peebles Street, Kirkcaldy admitted driving dangerously on Sheffield Road, Aberdour on April 11 last year.
He also admitted stealing a copper boiler part from the farm.
McColl further pled guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance on the same date, and on April 13 at Overtoun Road, Kirkcaldy.
Sheriff Ian Anderson placed him on a 12-month supervision order, with a requirement that he undertake drug counselling.
He was also banned from the roads for 10 years and told he must resit the extended driving test.
