A THIEF has been ordered to pay two Musselburgh businesses hundreds of pounds of compensation after he caused damage breaking into the premises.

Niall O’Brien broke into a Musselburgh beauty salon and a fish bar and stole cash and goods, as well as causing extensive damage to the properties.

O’Brien, of Whitehill Street, Newcraighall, stole cash and a quantity of papers from the Top to Toe salon on Newbigging, and cash, cigarettes and papers from Jaz’s Fish Bar on the town’s High Street.

But during the break-ins, the 25-year-old destroyed flooring and smashed windows at the two businesses worth hundreds of pounds.

O’Brien appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Tuesday after earlier admitting his guilt to two charges at a previous hearing in May.

His not guilty pleas to three further charges – including resetting a car and stealing vehicle registration plates – were accepted by the Crown.

Last month, fiscal depute Gerard Drugan told the court that O’Brien, along with an unknown male, entered the Top to Toe salon at about 12.30am on March 26 last year.

Mr Drugan said that the bungling thieves stole a cash box from the shop but had dropped it near to the entrance of the premises as the pair made their escape.

Mr Drugan added that the damage to shop premises during the break-in was £270 to replace the broken glass and a further £150 to replace the damaged flooring.

Mr Drugan also gave details of the second break-in at Jaz’s Fish Bar on Musselburgh High Street.

The fiscal said: “At about 11.45pm on March 25, officers were called after a member of the public saw one of the windows smashed [at Jaz’s Fish Bar].

“The officers saw the till drawer lying open and thereafter the occupier arrived and he listed the items that had been stolen.”

The court heard that £110 of cash had been stolen, while the damage caused to gain entry to the takeaway ran to about £1,500.

Sheriff Frank Crowe had ordered a restriction of liberty assessment to be carried out prior to sentencing but decided on issuing a compensation order only.

Sheriff Crowe told O’Brien that he must pay the owners of Top to Toe a total of £400 in compensation and a further £1,000 to the proprietors of Jaz’s Fish Bar.

O’Brien had admitted to breaking into the Top to Toe premises and stealing a cash bow with £241.51 inside and a quantity of papers on March 26 last year.

He also pleaded to breaking into Jaz’s Fish Bar and stealing £110 in cash, a quantity of cigarettes and a quantity of papers.