Tattoo man's knuckle rap

Cochrane had his first name tattooed on his hand

A man who tried to give false details to police was rumbled because he had his real name tattooed on his knuckles, a court heard.

John Cochrane took the wheel to help a work colleague who had been drinking.

However, the friend returned the favour by telling police that the 41-year-old had given the wrong name.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard that officers then spotted that Cochrane had his real name written on his knuckles in blue ink.

Cochrane, of Dalry, Ayrshire, admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by giving false details to police and driving without insurance. The labourer was fined a total of £200.

Police questioning

Defence agent Charlie McCusker said his client had been trying to do a favour for a work colleague who was unable to drive because he had been drinking.

Cochrane offered to drive the vehicle to get the pair back to Dalry from a job.

He was stopped and questioned by police in Paisley's Hawkhead Road in October last year.

He told the officers that his name was Robert Crawford.

However, his passenger blurted out: "That's no' his name."

Police then noticed that Cochrane had the name John spelled out across his fingers.

When challenged, he admitted he had been "at it".