A COKED-UP DJ nicked a boat and is now begging fans for £10,000 to keep him out of jail.
Martin Dickson hauled off the Montauk Boston Whaler – worth £22,000 – from a remote harbour in Fife and dumped it without its £6,000 engine.
DJ Martin Dickson towed away a boat from a quiet Scottish harbour[/caption]
Martin Dickson was caught on CCTV stealing the boat in Fife[/caption]
Martin Dickson has now launched a fundraiser and is pleading with his fans to stump up £10,000[/caption]
Last week a sheriff ordered the 52-year-old to hand over compensation to raging owner Robert Green.
But hours later Dickson launched an online fundraiser.
He claimed he needed cash to keep his drum and bass party bus on the road and originally made no mention of the bizarre heist.
Dickson said: “I have to put my hands out now and ask for some major help or it’s gonna be devastating.
“I’ve been in court today and I am now at the point where the judge is telling me I have 4 weeks to get myself £10,000 together or spend a long time in jail – three yrs and upwards.
“My problem is I never ask for anything in my whole life. I love doing what I do and I get plenty of thanks for bringing the love to your town or city for all the big events.”
Robert appealed for help after his brand new boat was taken from Forth Cruising Club in Limekilns.
He told how he’d only been out on it once before and he was looking forward to a trip with his son, aged nine, and his pal.
But the kids were devastated when they turned up and discovered the spot was empty.
Robert said: “We worked bloody hard and saved for the boat.
“We weren’t insured, thinking we were safe in the village and thinking the CCTV would be enough.”
Dickson managed to break the wheel and engine locks to take the boat.
He was caught on CCTV towing it away in a silver Range Rover sport in the early hours of the morning.
Cops found it dumped nearby but without the engine. Officers traced Dickson to his home in Glastonbury after the incident in June 2021.
He appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last Wednesday for sentencing after earlier admitting theft.
The Courier told how his lawyer Ian Beatson revealed the DJ has links to Scotland and had been “abusing cocaine” at the time of the theft.
Mr Beatson said: “He is completely bewildered as to why he did it.
“He can not provide any motivation other than stupidity on his part. He very much regrets it.”
Social workers suggested Dickson get unpaid work, which was rejected by beak Susan Duff.
She postponed a decision to give him time to get a bank loan to cover the compensation.
She said: “I am not considering following the recommendation in the report, which is ludicrous when someone has stolen a boat worth £22,000 and left the owner of the boat with a bill of £10,000.”
Dickson was hit with a backlash after the real reason for his fundraiser emerged. In five days he’s taken in just £333 of his £10,000 target.
It’s still live, but Dickson suggested he was putting the bus up for sale to cover the compensation.
He said: “I know matey boy lost his boat so it’s only fair I lose my bus.”
