A hospital auxiliary who stole £350 worth of donations from a palliative care unit has been spared a prison sentence at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

David Watson, 36, pocketed the cash from the Margaret Kerr Unit at Borders General Hospital where he had worked for the past 12 years.

He was convicted of theft during the course of his employment following a trial last month after CCTV and a witness statement proved overwhelming evidence of his guilt.

Watson of Queen Elizabeth Square, Galashiels, was given a supervision order as well as being told to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay back the £350 he stole from the Margaret Kerr Unit.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond said the sentence was an alternative to custody and despite the “overwhelming evidence” against him Watson was still in denial about his crime.

The court was told that Watson had resigned from his job as an auxiliary nurse at Borders General Hospital.

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick said:”He acknowledges his conviction has materially damaged the Unit.”

He added that the first offender’s crime was a “significant breach of trust.”

Watson’s arrest followed an 18 months investigation into money going missing at the £4m unit which opened five years ago after a public fund raising drive to add to a legacy left by West Linton nurse Margaret Kerr.