A man stole a safe containing £400 and then threw it into Douglas harbour, a court heard.

Dean Anthony Whitehead, of Heather Crescent, Douglas, has been convicted of theft and will sentenced on February 26 after a probation report has been completed.

Whitehead, aged 31, had initially denied the charge and a trial was set to take place on January 24 but on Tuesday this week he changed his plea to guilty.

Prosecutor Richard Butters told the court how, on August 4 at around midday, Whitehead was at the home of a Douglas couple.

drunk

People in the house were drunk but Whitehead was said to be more drunk and was sitting at a table.

A safe, measuring 18 inches high and eight to 12 inches wide, was kept in the room which Whitehead was in.

He was said to have appeared agitated and pacing around coming in and out of the room.

Whitehead was said to have twice picked up the safe to see how heavy it was and told the woman occupier of the house: ’I’m having that.’

She told him to put it down and he then appeared to have fallen asleep at the table.

However, the woman later found the safe which had £400 in cash in it missing, after Whitehead had left.

CCTV footage of North Quay in Douglas showed Whitehead carrying the safe but then dropping it with money spilling out everywhere.

He scooped up the cash then threw the safe into the harbour.

Whitehead was said to be stumbling and dropping money and the safe was later recovered from the water.

When interviewed, Whitehead said he had no knowledge of the safe and described himself as six out of 10 relating to how drunk he was.

He said that he took medication for heroin addiction and anxiety but continued to deny taking the safe.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood asked for the probation report to include input from the Drug and Alcohol Team.

Bail was granted in the sum of £500.