A PRESTONPANS man who broke into the home of his own aunt and took a bank card and cash has been ordered to attend for a drug treatment assessment.

Kevin Edwards smashed his way into the home of Christina Edwards at the town’s Burnside and stole a bank card, money and a quantity of cigarettes.

Edwards, of Longdykes Road, then used the card to take cash from ATMs at the town’s Co-op and Scotmid stores and stole a total of £380 from his relative.

The 42-year-old drug user was told he was “swinging in the breeze for a custodial sentence” when he appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Tuesday.

Sheriff Nigel Ross was close to jailing the thief but stopped short of that for the meantime and instead told him he must attend for a drug treatment and testing assessment.

Solicitor Andrew Mellor said his client had returned all of the stolen cash to his aunt and that he had “expressed genuine remorse” about the theft.

Sheriff Ross added: “There remains in the background a custodial sentence.”

Sentence was deferred to October 1.

Edwards admitted breaking into the home and stealing cash, a bank card and cigarettes on September 11 last year, using the card to take cash from two ATMs and stealing £380.