A 23-year-old man who travelled from the north-east of England with others specifically to steal £2,400 worth of piping in Dunfermline, has been ordered to do unpaid work.

Clarke Huntingdon, of Elizabeth Place, Shotton Colliery, County Durham, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on March 25 at PCM Engineering, Castleblair Lane, he stole a quantity of steel piping.

Depute fiscal Catherine Stevenson previously told the court the theft was captured on CCTV.

At 6.30am Huntingdon arrived at the scene in a vehicle with others and he exited the driver’s seat.

They began to load the steel piping on to the back of their vehicle and then drove off.

The court was told previously that Huntingdon had travelled from Durham specifically to steal the piping.

Defence solicitor Callum Harris conceded: “The clear reason was for financial gain. He was in a poor financial position at the time but is now back in employment.”

Sheriff Francis Gill imposed a community payback order with 65 hours of unpaid work.