A 31-YEAR-OLD man who admitted stealing a quad bike and a horse transporter from two farms near Reston in Berwickshire has been jailed for two and a half years at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Rickie Foster, from Durham, was one of three men recognised fleeing from a farm on the night of July 15 with a quad bike.

And he was later discovered by police at the scene of an accident after he crashed a stolen horse transporter into a gate and toppled the vehicle onto its side on the B6438 road.

Foster had driven off when police tried to stop him flashing the blue lights but drove off the road at speed.

Police found horse saddles and other stolen farm equipment worth almost £10,000 inside the transporter.

Passing sentence Sheriff Paterson told Foster: “Thefts of farming equipment are common in this jurisdiction as farms are regarded as an easy target  for people coming in from other areas.

“That’s what you and others thought in this matter.”

Defence lawyer Liam Alexander said: “There are two parts to this. The thefts and then his attempts to evade capture by the police.

“The thefts were to feed his heroin addiction and he was in a pretty bad way but things have improved since he has been in jail.

“Sadly he is quite keen for a custodial sentence so he can get help.

“There are no mitigating factors for the standard of driving which was appalling. He is lucky not to have any injuries.”

Foster received jail sentences totalling 30 months for the thefts and also driving while disqualified and dangerous driving back-dated to July 16 when he was first remanded in custody.

In addition he was disqualified from driving for 40 months.