A Tayside drug addict robbed a good Samaritan who was attempting to get him to his scalded baby.
Sean Cocker flagged down a car on the outskirts of Brechin in a bid to reach Montrose Hospital to see his injured child.
Rather than thank the pair who stopped for him, the 27-year-old stole a wallet from a suit jacket that was in the car.
Cocker, of the Maltings, Montrose, appeared at Arbroath Sheriff Court on Tuesday following the incident on June 17.
He admitted stealing the wallet and its contents from a car on the A935 Brechin to Montrose road, while on bail for another matter.
The court heard the two work colleagues had been in the area on business and were leaving for Bridge of Dun.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said one of the workers left their wallet in their suit jacket.
She said: “On exiting Brechin they saw the accused in the centre of the road with his arms outstretched. He appeared distressed and claimed he needed to get to hospital in Montrose as his baby had been scalded.”
Cocker sat in the rear of the car, a Vauxhall Vectra, and began to engage the pair in conversation.
Ms Drummond said: “The witnesses thought he was under the influence of drink or drugs. They dropped him in Montrose High Street.”
As they continued their journey one of the witnesses checked the suit jacket and the theft became apparent.
They attended at Montrose Police Office to report the matter to officers.
Cocker was identified from a set of 12 images shown to them.
He was apprehended and in response to caution and charge said: “I apologise for what I did. These nice people gave me a lift and I stupidly took advantage of them.”
Defence agent Lynne Sturrock confirmed Cocker’s baby had been scalded.
“He was suffering from a drug habit at the time and was under the influence of alcohol,” she said. “The reason was genuine and he was taken to hospital for that reason.”
The court heard Cocker already has 200 hours of a previously imposed community payback order to complete.
Sheriff Peter Paterson called for additional reports and warned Cocker he would be remanded in custody if he does not comply.
Sentence was deferred until November 26.