A WATCHMAKER stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of customers' expensive watches - including Rolexes - and pawned them.

Kevin Mitchell ran a watch repair shop in Dundee but ran into cash problems when he fell ill.

Mitchell - who has previous convictions for embezzlement and theft - took watches given to him to fix or find buyers for to ­Ramsdens pawn shop in the city. He sold £54,000 worth of customers' watches.

He also stole 31 other watches and jewellery.

Mitchell, 40, of Inn Street, Tayport, Fife, pleaded guilty to one charge of fraud and a total of 31 charges of theft.

Sheriff Charles Macnair, QC, said his chance of avoiding jail was "virtually nil".

Sentence was deferred sentence until next month.