A MAN who stole a coat from a Dunfermline shop for a dare has been jailed for 136 days. Robert Greenhill, 55, told police initially he had "meant to buy" the ladies' jacket from Marks and Spencer, however, his solicitor told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that his client had been encouraged to go and pinch something in return for money.

The James Bank Hostel resident appeared in the dock and admitted that on March 6, he stole the coat and also had a lock knife in his possession without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

Depute fiscal Jade Doig said Greenhill was stopped by a security guard after leaving the store.

"At the time, he was in possession of a ladies' coat valued at £99," she said. "He was taken into the detention room by staff and police were called."

Officers searched him and discovered a lock knife in his jacket pocket.

When charged, he said: "I meant to buy it and I went to the till and then I just wandered off" and then told police that the lock knife was broken.

Solicitor Stephen Morrison took issue with what his client said to police.

"The reply is not correct," he told the court. "He had been promised some money by some individuals who wished to have a bit of sport with him. They dared him to go into the establishment and steal an item and they would repay him for money. He was, at that particular time, until relatively recently, dealing with heroin misuse on an almost daily basis. He is now on a methadone programme."

Sheriff Charles Macnair said the only appropriate sentence was custody.

"You committed an offence of theft by shoplifting and and you were in possession of a knife," he told him. "It is said you carried the knife in order to assist you in your shoplifting enterprise. That may be the case but if people carry knives then people use knives.

"Knife crime in this country is not tolerated in any circumstances. Knife crime is not acceptable.

"You have a record, albeit not recent, but you are not able for one reason or another to do unpaid work. Nor can a restriction of liberty order be imposed upon you."