Budgie smuggler with obsession for small creatures tagged

A convicted budgie thief is to be tagged after a court heard he had a "fixation with small creatures". Dean Wells, 19, admitted stealing three budgerigars from his uncle's house in Elgin, north east Scotland. He also stole two more from a nearby aviary, where he was caught with the birds in his pockets. His solicitor said: "I have told him that no matter how much he loves these little creatures, he simply can't take other people's."

Wells will be electronically tagged for six months after he appeared for sentencing in Elgin Sheriff Court. He admitted stealing three budgerigars from 21 Sandy Road, Elgin, between July 27 and July 28. He also admitted to breaking into an aviary at 4 Longmoor Crescent, Elgin, on July 28, where he left with two birds. The owner of the aviery noticed that the mesh door had been forced open. Ms Duncan said the man found Wells inside the aviary, attempting to catch some of the budgies.



She said the man asked Wells what he had been doing, to which he replied "I am just looking at them". The man took Wells inside and telephoned the police from his house. Wells was arrested, and while he was in the back of the police vehicle travelling to the station, Ms Duncan said the officers asked Wells whether he had anything in his pockets, to which he replied "two budgies". Wells' solicitor, Brent Lockie, acknowledged in court that his client's background reports "do not make very good reading".

"I have spoken to Mr Wells about his behaviour and his fixation with small creatures like this. Mr Wells has hobbies, but he has to do it lawfully and not at the risk of other persons," Mr Lockie said. "I have told him that no matter how much he loves these little creatures, he simply can't take other people's." Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood said he would put a restriction of liberty order on Wells, after stating that "he seems to go stealing at night". It means that Wells will be electronically tagged and must remain in his home address from 6pm to 6am, seven days a week.