A FAIFLEY man who stole a purse and its contents while on board a bus in Clydebank, and then used a debit card to fraudulently buy goods at a town centre shop, has been placed under social workers’ supervision.

Paul Cuthill, of Auchnacraig Road, stole the purse while on board a number 1A bus leaving Barns Street in Whitecrook on October 19, 2017, and then used a debit card in the name of another person to buy goods worth £30 from the Wilko store in Sylvania Way on the same day.

A hearing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday, January 25, was told that the 43-year-old had tendered guilty pleas at the first opportunity when the case first called in court last August.

But his solicitor, Judith Reid, said that unpaid hours of community work “appear to be ruled out as a punishment” following an assessment of Cuthill by social workers.

Ms Reid suggested that simply putting her client under social workers’ supervision would be enough of a sentence, saying that Cuthill had been in no further trouble since the incident 15 months ago.

She said: “This appears to have been some sort of one-off aberration while he was significantly under the influence of drugs.”

Sheriff John Hamilton told Cuthill he would be supervised by social workers until January 2020 and added: “That will allow you some support to deal with the issues you have, particularly with regard to drug misuse.

“If you don’t comply with the supervision, and are breached and come before me, it’s unlikely to be such a lenient sentence.”