A LANDSCAPE gardener who admitted a £3,000 fraud has been ordered to carry out 80 hours unpaid work.

Selkirk Sheriff Court heard David Jeffrey “bounced” nine cheques at post offices in Melrose and Livingston between April 28 and May 9.

The 34-year-old of Wood Street, Galashiels, also admitted getting petrol to the value of almost £150 from a station in Edinburgh on June 12 and 18 without paying.

Defence lawyer Heather Stewart explained that Jeffrey had given over a copy of his driving licence giving his name and address at the petrol station but admitted “it was the conventional way to pay for fuel”.

With regards to the £3,000 fraud, she said Jeffrey had assumed his account would go into overdraft and did not realise the cheques would not be honoured after receiving the cash.

Ms Stewart said Jeffrey had brought £500 to court go towards repaying the money.

Sheriff Peter Paterson imposed a 16 month supervision order and told Jeffrey to repay £1500 to the Post Office as well as £150 to the petrol station.