A bowling club treasurer who embezzled more than £3,000 avoided jail on Monday with an alternative sentence of 200 hours' community service.
He was also ordered to pay £3,100 compensation to the club.
Peter Charlton, 52, was reported as a missing person after committee members went to his static motorhome to confront him over discrepancies in the club's accounts.
Charlton, of Blackb
urn Avenue, Bridlington, admitted embezzling £3,100 while treasurer of Galashiels Waverley Bowling Club between March 1, 2007, and December 23, 2008.
"His duties included dealing with all the takings at the bar and he was also responsible for buying and monitoring all the bar stock," depute procurator fiscal Fiona Caldwell told an earlier hearing at Selkirk Sheriff Court.
Miss Caldwell said Charlton would report an update of finances to the club at committee meetings.
In November 2008 a cheque for £1,700 was returned unpaid due to insufficient funds in the club account.
"This caused concern and the accused was asked to bring the account books to a meeting, but failed to turn up," continued the prosecutor.
She said a further meeting was arranged, but again Charlton did not attend. Subsequent investigations revealed a total of £3,100 missing from two accounts managed by Charlton.
"In December 2008 some of the committee went to his home address to confront him about the discrepancies, but found he wasn't there," explained Miss Caldwell.
She said they were allowed entry to his motorhome by the key holder and found a written note addressed to the site owner and another to the club.
The first read: "I have told the bowling club to sell my van to pay for what I owe them. Sorry I have gone, but I have no future here."
The second note reiterated what was written in the first and expressed his sorrow for what had happened.
"A missing person report was filed and it took some time to trace him," concluded Miss Caldwell.
Defence lawyer Heather Stewart told the earlier hearing her client, a first offender left the note thinking that would be the end of the matter.
"He left behind the motorhome he owned, which he believed would be worth in excess of £2,000, together with its contents," she said. "He also left a note saying he had given permission for the bowling club to sell the motorhome."
The court heard the motorhome had subsequently been destroyed by the owner of the caravan site.
On Monday, Greig McDonell, representing Charlton, said his client fully understood he had done wrong and had admitted his guilt before the police became involved in his letter to the committee.
"He was having a difficult time during 2008 and took this money with the intention of paying it back," explained Mr McDonell.
