A WORKER who was not getting sickness benefit while off ill, stole computers from his employers and sold them for £100 each, a court heard.
When he was arrested, he told the police he had carried out the theft in revenge for them not paying him.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today 21-year-old Tanzanian Simon Mhoja, of Andrew Avenue, Bathgate, was fined £250 and ordered to pay his forme
r employers £500 compensation.
Mhoja had pled guilty to stealing three desktop computers and a monitor from the financial services company, Aegon UK, at their headquarters in the Gyle Park, Edinburgh, on August 24 this year.
Fiscal Depute, Malcolm Stewart, said Mhoja had been employed by the company for some time and had access to the premises. He had been off sick at the time of the theft, but when police went to his home, he admitted what he had done and told them he had sold two of the desktops in Armadale for £100 each. He told the officers: "It was my intention to get my own back for them not paying me".
Defence agent, Paul Smith, said his client had been off sick with depression.
He said: "He was not getting statutory sick pay, but instead of going through the proper channels, he took the items". Mhoja had been easily identified as the culprit by using of his swipe card. Although highly qualified, Mhoja had lost his job with the company.
Sheriff Andrew Lothian said it was a breach of trust, but Mhoja had been easily found because of his using his swipe card.
"I regard this as silly behaviour, rather than criminal" he added. He allowed Mhoja to pay the compensation and fine at £80 a month.
The full article contains 298 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
