A Perth man lied to police about being robbed in what was described in court as “a clumsy attempt” to claim free drinks from a chemist worth over £60 a time.
Perth Sheriff Court was told last week Stephen John Lewry (45) telephoned police saying someone had stolen what were termed as “build-up drinks” from his car that a GP had prescribed him for free.
The court was told Lewry was prescribed a total of 56 drinks costing £62 but he claimed they were pinched from his motor as he was taking other shopping into his house after picking them up from a Browns pharmacy in the city.
However fiscal depute Stewart Hamilton said he was then overheard on the phone by police boasting to someone that he would be able to get a further prescription for another £62 worth of free drinks if he was believed while he thought he was being kept on hold.
Mr Hamilton said it was later put to Lewry by officers that he was lying after he made an official statement and he admitted his guilt.
Lewry, of Wallace Crescent, Perth, admitted falsely reporting to police he had been the victim of a theft and temporarily depriving the public of police services while they followed up his false claim back in November 2020.
Sheriff William Wood remarked before sentencing Lewry: “This was a clumsy attempt to obtain more of these drinks. It was ill-advised from the outset that you did this.”
He fined Lewry £540 which he has been ordered to pay at a rate of £15 per fortnight.
