Courts finally catch up with vandal after five-year hunt

Stephen Forbes was originally charged with smashing two windows in January 2007 while on bail for another offence.

In January 2008, he pleaded guilty at Linlithgow Sheriff Court to vandalising a house in Livingston, West Lothian.

He then had his sentence deferred and was ordered to behave himself. He was due to be sentenced in July that year.

But when the case was called on July 17, 2008, he failed to appear and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Police finally executed the warrant at the weekend, Livingston Court heard yesterday.

Forbes, 24, who gave an address in Livingston, appeared before Sheriff Grahame Fleming QC, who fined him £225 for the original offence.