Damage to Ross-shire forestry winch equipment over wages dispute costs Borders man dear after case heard at Inverness Sheriff Court
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A BORDERS man was ordered to pay £1000 of compensation to his former boss after damaging a forestry winch vehicle in Strathconon.
It had been thought that 34-year-old Gary Wright's vandalism had left the businessman with a bill for thousands of pounds.
But fiscal depute Niall Macdonald accepted at Inverness Sheriff Court the lesser figure put forward by defence solicitor Rory Gowans.
Wright of Eaglesfield, Lockerbie had admitted last month that between December 17 and 20, 2018 he maliciously damaged the winch at Achcorachan. Sentence was deferred for background reports and to establish how much the owner was left out of pocket. He was also fined £400.
Mr Macdonald said the location of the offence was about 10 miles from Marybank, accessible only via a dirt track.
He told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank there had been a falling out between Wright and the owner of the winch.
"The accused was of the view he was due wages from the owner amounting to £400."
The owner went to the locus a couple of days after the incident and found windows, fuel pipes, alternator and injectors were smashed. Suspicion fell on the accused who had sent a threatening message to the owner, the court heard.
