Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Hermit to teach survival skills

Jack O'Sullivan
Thursday 29 April 1999 23:02 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A HERMIT who spent 20 years living in woods in central Scotland had his sentence for a series of thefts deferred yesterday after he agreed to teach others his survival skills.

Robert Sinclair, 51, nicknamed "Davy Crockett" because of his extraordinary skills in the wild, had pleaded guilty to break-ins across central Scotland, stealing food, clothes and alcohol from caravans and farmhouses.

His thefts were to support his lifestyle, which involved living in barns, makeshift shelters and hollows in the woods.

At one stage, police on horseback were introduced in an attempt to find the pony-tailed loner.

Sinclair's sentencing was deferred for four months yesterday after Stirling Sheriff Court was told he was now going to teach others his outward pursuit skills. He has also been collecting food and clothes for Kosovo refugees.

John McInnes, Sinclair's defence agent, said he was keen to pass on the skills that he had learnt during the past 20 years spent surviving on his wits in the hills and woods of Stirlingshire.

Since being captured, Sinclair has had difficulties adjusting. When he signed on for benefits and was given a pounds 49 crisis loan, it was the first time since the 1970s that he had had money in his pocket. At one point he attempted suicide because he could not cope with the changes.

Yesterday, however, Mr McInnes said Sinclair was settling down and would be taking young people on walking trips to Glencoe.

After the hearing, Sinclair, who has a City and Guilds in horticulture, said: "What I want to do now is grow some strawberries. I couldn't do any gardening when I was in the wild."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in