Gecko killers behind bars after failing to make amends for "sickening act"

Two thugs who killed a family's pet geckos in a "sickening" act are behind bars after failing to convince a sheriff that they were willing to make amends for their crime.

Daniel Innes, 20, and 18-year-old Jordan McIsaac were charged by police after killing the two lizards in Amanda Bibby's Aberchirder house in Aberdeenshire in March last year.

One of the geckos fell to his death and the other died in a kitchen blender.

Horrified Amanda, 33, returned home to find her house wrecked - with Innes, of Inverurie, in Aberdeenshire, also causing thousands of pounds of damage during a rampage at the property.

The young men admitted the crimes and were due to be dealt when they appeared at Banff Sheriff Court in July.

But the sentence was deferred for them to prove they could behave themselves for three months.

However, when the pair appeared back in the dock yesterday, sheriff Philip Mann told them that he was in a "difficult position" after listening to their solicitors explanations of their actions over the previous three months.

He stressed that he had initially deferred the case against them to give them the chance to demonstrate that a non custodial sentence might be appropriate.

He added: "But for that to work it really would need 100 per cent commitment and I'm not satisfied that you have shown that 100 per cent commitment."

The sheriff remanded both men and warned that custody could be likely when they returned for their sentence in two weeks.

Innes's solicitor had explained that his client had not been aware of a social work appointment arranged to complete background reports previously requested by the court.

He said his client had changed address and had contacted him on Monday to let him know the report would not be prepared in time for the hearing yesterday.

The sheriff had previously advised the men to think of a way to demonstrate that they regretted their actions towards the animals.

And he suggested that they contact the Scottish SPCA animal welfare charity to ask if there was anything they could do to make amends for their behaviour.

Defence lawyer Stuart Beveridge said Innes had sent emails to organisations but "pretty much everyone" rejected his offer.

The court heard that both men had since donated money to the Scottish SPCA charity.

The pair were placed on a curfew restricting the times they were allowed to leave their homes at the last hearing.

And the court heard that Innes, who had since lost his job in the hospitality industry, had been charged with breaching the curfew.

He pled guilty and was admonished by the court after it was explained that it was due to his change of address.

Sheriff Mann asked if he had paid any compensation to the family whose house was trashed.

But Mr Beveridge said: "At the moment, he's not in any position to make any meaningful compensation to them.

"That is something he intends to do when he's in a position to do so."

The sheriff also noted that his co-accused had been told to carry out a fiscal work order but had not carried out the requirements of the order since July.

McIsaac, of Banff, looked visibly shocked after Sheriff Mann remanded him yesterday.

He also appeared on a separate case of assaulting a man on Low Street in Banff on August 24 last year.

He previously pled guilty to the offence and the sheriff deferred sentence until the same date warning that a custodial sentence could also be imposed.

Sentence was deferred until October 31.

Following the hearing, Ms Bibby, who broke down in tears when the men were remanded, said: "I think the sheriff had restored my faith in the justice system.

"Obviously we will have to wait for the outcome but we are just happy they are getting meaningful punishment.

"I was absolutely gobsmacked, in shock.

"I didn't expect it.