An Iraq war veteran who stole diesel from his Angus employers was captured by CCTV set up in a remote rural yard.
Lee Thomassen was caught after Cortachy Estate bosses became suspicious about fuel going missing from the Cossacks base near Kirriemuir and set up cameras as an additional security measure.
At Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday the former soldier, of Baker’s Lane, Kirkcaldy, was fined £250 and ordered to pay £240 compensation after admitting stealing 48 gallons of fuel on April 13, while on bail.
Depute fiscal Nicola Gillespie said estate staff had noticed fuel going missing over a period of time and just before the offence which brought Thomassen to court CCTV had been installed.
The accused was employed as a chauffeur/handyman at the estate and after noticing fuel was missing according to an earlier reading, footage was reviewed and Thomassen was seen entering the yard and removing the diesel.
Thomassen later confirmed to police he had access to the workshop but denied any involvement in the offence.
Defence agent Bob Bruce said his client was in the infantry for some 23 years and has suffered post traumatic stress syndrome.
“He completed two full tours in Iraq in 2003 and 2007 and saw active service during both of those,” he told the court.
“Since he came out of the army, as sometime happens, things have gone awry, which is unfortunate given his long service record.”