STEALING parcels he was supposed to deliver was an expensive mistake for Cowdenbeath man Robert McNeil this week.

He appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday after previously admitting that he had stolen a quantity of parcels from Hermes in Dickson Street, Dunfermline on August 25 last year.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said McNeil, 38, of Broad Street, was employed as a delivery driver by Hermes and it had come to light that certain parcels addressed or destined for JD Sports had been marked as not received.

Suspicion fell on McNeil and a test parcel was sent to the same address and was found to be not received. He was confronted by his line manager and the test parcel and two other parcels were recovered.

The goods stolen were valued at around £250 and around £77 worth of the items were recovered.

Solicitor Roshi Josni said her client accepted it was a serious matter and had lost his job as a result.

"There had been a stagnation of offending for some time prior to the offence however this lapsed after drug misuse," she told the Court.

"These issues are things he now appears to have addressed of his own volition.

"He takes full responsibility for it. It was effectively a clearly wrong decision on his part with a view to clearing funds which were due elsewhere."

Sheriff Alison McKay said McNeil had an "unenviable" record.

"This offence is a serious one," she told him. "It was a significant breach of trust in relation to your employers."

She placed McNeil on a community payback order with supervision for one year and a requirement to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within six months.

He was also ordered to pay £170 compensation.