Too drunk to walk, so man stole a bike

AN APPRENTICE engineer stole a bike from a party because he thought he was too drunk to walk.

Sandy Wales, 20, left the party in Loanhead and stole the 110 bike from McNeill Terrace because he felt cycling home would be easier, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard.

His journey came to a sudden halt after a short distance, when he fell off and was spotted by two police officers.

Wales, of Hunter Avenue, Loanhead, was fined a total of 360 after pleading guilty to stealing the bike from McNeill Terrace in Loanhead and to riding it while unfit through drink or drugs in Kennington Avenue.

Fiscal depute Malcolm Stewart said the police came across Wales at 1:50am. "It was obvious he had been drinking. His speech was slurred and he had difficulty standing," he said.

Defence agent Vincent Belmonte told Sheriff Margaret Scott that Wales had been drinking heavily. He said: "He felt too drunk to walk and thought the best idea was to take the bike.

"It was very much on the spur of the moment."