Weekend court roll – a Pot Noodle vampire and a Cliff Richard stalker

Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.

The neighbour and patient from hell

A triple amputee branded the “neighbour and patient from hell” has been jailed after a string of violent and vile offences – including defecating in a police van.

Alan Goffin, known as Wyness, admitted a “serious catalogue of offending”, including violence and abuse directed towards his partner, neighbours, police and hospital staff.

The 46-year-old, who has had to have all but one limb amputated due to a medical condition, assaulted and threatened to stab his girlfriend and neighbour and abused doctors and nurses at ARI.

At one point he even defecated in a police van and threatened to throw the faeces at anyone who came near him.

Extortion victim caught with indecent images

A north-east man who handed his iPad to police because he was the victim of online extortion was later found to have dozens of indecent child images on his device.

Kenneth Hay, 60, contacted officers to inform them that he was being extorted by someone he had been chatting with online.

But when he provided his iPad for examination, cybercrime officers found a hoard of child sex images.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that Hay had also typed in a number of search terms relating to child abuse imagery.

Woman beat and robbed disabled man

A disabled man robbed of £3,500 was subjected to such a horrific beating that he feigned unconsciousness in the hope it would end.

Michelle Quinn befriended her victim in an Aberdeen shop before returning to his Balnagask Circle home where she made off with a huge bundle of cash, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

Just four months later Quinn returned to her victim’s home, this time with an accomplice, and carried out the horrific beating.

Fiscal depute Alison Reid said Quinn’s apparently innocent visit to the man’s home on June 14 last year quickly turned aggressive as she demanded: “where’s your money? where’s your money?”

‘Considerable progress’ towards seizing conman’s profits

A legal bid to recover £21 million from a convicted north-east conman who spent his ill-gotten gains on a lavish lifestyle has made “considerable progress”, a court has heard.

Prosecutors are attempting to seize the money which Alistair Greig made from masterminding a Ponzi scheme that scammed 297 people.

Greig, 68, formerly of Cairnbulg in Aberdeenshire, illegally obtained more than £13 million by fraud between August 2001 and October 2014.

Investors were scammed into placing funds in “guaranteed” high-interest accounts but Greig spent their money on top-of-the-range cars, English Premiership football matches and horse race meetings.

Convicted dealer back to his old ways

A drug dealer who had been jailed for helping to flood the Highlands with more than £250,000 worth of heroin has returned to court for producing cannabis.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard Steven Whitton is “back to his old ways” after the class B drug was found at his home.

The 54-year-old was jailed for four years at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2004 after being snared as part of a police operation codenamed Nemesis.

He was part of a gang of six men from the central belt and the Highlands who were jailed for a total of 45 years.

Drug-driver had stash between buttocks

A drug-driver pulled over by police in Aberdeen had hundreds of pounds worth of cocaine and heroin stashed “between his buttocks”.

Terry Robertson was stopped by police due to the “poor standard” of his driving as he pulled out of Urquhart Road onto King Street.

A drug test was then carried out on the 48-year-old, which showed he had taken cocaine.

And when taken back to the police station, a “plastic package” containing £500 worth of cocaine and heroin was found “between his buttocks”.

Drunk 999 caller claimed to be Pot Noodle-craving vampire

A drunk woman bombarded 999 staff with nuisance calls – including one about rape and another in which she claimed to be a vampire who wanted a Pot Noodle.

Pauline Stafford, 54, had only just been released from prison when she began repeatedly calling the emergency services.

And a week later she was back behind bars after being arrested for abusing the emergency call system.

Sheriff Gary Aitken told Stafford, of Kirkside, Alness: “The emergency services have got plenty to deal with without drunk people or bored people deciding to phone them up.”

Get the latest crime and court stories delivered straight to your inbox

Every day our reporters are sitting in courtrooms around the area and now you can get their stories sent directly to you, five days a week.

Click here to find out how

Gas engineer caught drink-driving again

A retired gas engineer has vowed not to get behind the wheel again after being caught drink-driving for the second time.

Charles Johnston, 74, was caught after police received a tip-off he was drink-driving.

When officers found him he was almost four times the legal alcohol limit.

And now, after his second analogous conviction, the pensioner has apologised and vowed not to drive again.

Man accused of attempting to murder pensioner

A man has appeared in court accused of attempting to murder a pensioner at a house in Forres.

Scott McCulloch, 25, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court on a single charge of assault to severe injury, danger of life and attempted murder.

It’s alleged he attacked an 84-year-old woman at the property in Oystercatcher Close, on Sunday August 28.

The pensioner was taken to Raigmore Hospital with serious injuries. Her condition is currently unknown.

Thief used stolen car to carry out two-day crime spree

A serial thief who used a stolen car to steal bikes worth almost £5,000 as well as alcohol, barbecues and food worth more than £600 has been jailed.

William Hanratty will spend 20 months behind bars after admitting the two-day shoplifting and housebreaking spree.

The 39-year-old drug addict appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted two charges of theft by shoplifting, theft, and another of theft from a lock fast place. He also admitted the theft of a car and attempted theft of a car.

Fiscal depute Alison Reid said Hanratty, while acting with another man, helped himself to car keys, house keys, a mobile phone and watch from a house in Braehead Way, Bridge of Don, on June 3 this year.

Kindly pensioner targeted by serial thief

A serial thief stole £800 from a kindly Aberdeen pensioner who agreed to give her a lift to the chemist.

Julie Hayworth used the opportunity to swipe the 79-year-old’s handbag from the front seat before running off with it.

The 30-year-old, a prolific offender who has previously targeted the elderly and vulnerable, was later seen tossing the handbag into a field.

Fiscal depute Jennifer Pritchard told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The complainer knows the accused as the accused has previously asked to borrow money from her.”

Man trashed ex’s flat

A jealous man caused £1,300 of damage trashing his ex’s Aberdeen flat after discovering her with his brother, a court has been told.

Angus Duncan, 20, struggled to accept that his relationship with the woman was over and flew into a “blackout rage” when he found her in their Aberdeen flat with his brother.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told Duncan slashed her clothes and a headboard, damaged her TV and smashed an oven door.

Fiscal depute Jennifer Pritchard said the couple had been together for around three-and-a-half years but separated in May this year.

Wedding guest slapped partner

A violent wedding guest who was taken away in handcuffs after drinking too much wine and hitting his partner has told a court he’s “embarrassed” by his actions.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how fellow guests had to stop Hasan Goz from fleeing the wedding venue near Ellon before police officers arrived to arrest him.

The fallout began with Goz drinking alcohol which he “wouldn’t normally touch” during the meal and his partner speaking to someone he didn’t approve of.

The 43-year-old’s actions led to police officers arriving at the grounds of House of Schivas.

Stalker used Cliff song to alarm victim

A stalker who hounded a love interest she met online with home visits, calls and even a Cliff Richard song was “seeking closure” after he dumped her, a court has been told.

Rebecca Murphy’s “strange behaviour” included phoning the man 64 times in one day, shining a torch through his letterbox and sitting outside his house for hours on end.

The qualified nurse, who had been on four dates with the man during their on-off relationship, also posted her house keys and mobile phone through his letterbox and then texted him to say “I left my keys and phone at yours”.

Fiscal depute Jennifer Pritchard told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the pair had shared a few dates having met on a dating site in early 2021 but “weren’t in a relationship”.

Judge rules woman should be detained in hospital

An Aberdeen woman who was accused of drugging a man and attacking him in his sleep was today ordered to be held at a psychiatric unit under a restriction order.

Carole Farquhar will now have Scottish Government oversight of her case and multi-agency public protection involvement over any release into the community.

Farquhar, 58, was originally charged with attempting to murder the man on March 20 and 21 last year, at a house on Forest Avenue, Aberdeen.

She was accused of repeatedly putting the drugs diazepam and tramadol in drinks and causing him to ingest them.

Rape victims praise sentence

Women who were targeted as teenagers by a serial rapist have spoken of their relief after seeing him locked up.

Ruaridh Gilmour, 23, was sentenced to five years in prison, with a three-year extension, after being found guilty of four counts of rape at the High Court in Inverness.

Now two of his victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, have told the Press and Journal how the sentencing brought them “closure” and “relief”.

The original trial heard how Gilmour, of Dingwall, told one woman that he “liked it when she said no” and “gloated” over hurting her.

Ex-squaddie was racist to women

A former British soldier who racially abused two Latvian women in Aberdeen has been warned his behaviour could land him in prison if he doesn’t change his ways.

Michael Begg, 34, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted making an offensive and racist remark about the women and making repeated threats to “bang” them near his home in the north of the city.

The court heard that when the women went inside their home to avoid Begg he repeatedly struck their front door for 15 minutes while making further threats.

Begg served as a soldier in the UK army and was discharged due to suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Drunk with a grudge trashed hotel bar

A drunk man with a grudge trashed an Aberdeen bar by throwing stools around and challenging patrons and staff to a fight.

Terry Brannan took umbrage with being thrown out of the Sure Hotel on the Lang Stracht for being “rowdy” so on his next visit a fortnight later he caused a bar brawl, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

His aggressive antics were caught on security camera and by a guest who filmed him flinging bar stools around, challenging the barmaid and guests to a fight, and even trying to prise the top off the bar.

Fiscal depute Jennifer Pritchard said police were called to the 45-bedroom Best Western Hotel in Summerhill Court at around 10.45pm on May 21 this year and again during Brannan’s destructive return visit on June 7 at 10pm.

Police gave up on dangerous chase

A man’s “appalling course of driving” through Aberdeen streets forced police to abandon the pursuit due to safety fears.

Nicholas Paterson first came to their attention when officers who driving in the opposite direction spotted him “lower his face” as they passed in an attempt to hide.

The 28-year-old then failed to stop and sped away when they tried to pull him over.

Paterson led the police on a pursuit through the streets of Aberdeen before officers eventually had to call it off because his driving was so dangerous.

Kebab shop spitter

A racist customer tried to spit at an Aberdeen kebab shop worker and threatened to burn the takeaway down.

Thomas Robertson had stopped off at Cravin Crrispy on Barron Street following a drinking session with his brother-in-law.

But Robertson – who landed in hot water with the sheriff for turning to grin at a friend in the court’s public gallery – quickly became abusive.

The 28-year-old tried to spit at a member of staff, threatened to burn the takeaway down, banged on doors and challenged witnesses to fight.

Man threatened to shoot police at family BBQ

A man who screamed violent threats after getting locked in the toilet at a family barbecue then turned his attention to police, telling officers he would shoot them.

Steven Lawson, 29, became irate after getting locked in his aunt’s toilet as the barbecue got into full swing without him.

He then made threats to “stab” other party-goers before making it free from the bathroom.

When police turned up Lawson threatened to shoot and stab them – stating: “you’re lucky you’re not getting shot, man. Boom! Boom!”

‘An extraordinary breach of airport security’

A man climbed over a barbed wire fence into Aberdeen International Airport and was seen wandering around near parked planes – in a drunken bid to find his girlfriend.

Ryan Duncan had consumed alcohol and drugs when he clambered over the 2.5-metre fence and was spotted “meandering” close to the runway by alarmed ground crew.

Sheriff William Summers described the incident as “an extraordinary breach of security” at the Dyce airport.

Fiscal depute David Rodger said the incident happened around 10pm on March 10 last year.

Man admits shouting racist abuse at Celtic players

A man has admitted shouting racist abuse towards footballers during a match at Pittodrie.

Ian Stewart had been in the South Stand during the clash between Aberdeen and Celtic on February 9 when he was heard making the racial comments.

The 55-year-old directed derogatory language towards Celtic players Jota and another of Japanese origin.

Fiscal depute David Rodger told Aberdeen Sheriff Court a witness was also seated in the South Stand with her family.

Drug-driver crashed into other car on A90

A driver who caused a serious crash on the A90 was later found to have more than three times the legal limit of a cocaine metabolite in her system.

Stacy Sewards, 35, rammed into the back of a Ford Fiesta on the A90 Blackdog to Ellon road causing the car to spin out of control and collide with a central reservation.

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured as a result of the crash.

Fiscal depute Christy Ward told the court that on the December 8 last year Sewards was driving behind the Ford Fiesta near Ellon.

Get the latest crime and court stories delivered straight to your inbox

Every day our reporters are sitting in courtrooms around the area and now you can get their stories sent directly to you, five days a week.

Click here to find out how

Banned driver caught again

A repeat offender caught driving while disqualified claimed he got behind the wheel because his partner had a Covid coughing fit on the way to a testing centre.

Kyle Tomlinson was stopped by police after they spotted him undertaking other cars on Auchmill Road in Bucksburn.

And when they pulled the 36-year-old over they found he was actually banned from the roads for another six months after being handed a two-year disqualification in December 2019.

The man, who had been disqualified a number of times before and flouted those bans more than once, then claimed he’d only been driving because his passengers were ill with coronavirus.

Man’s threat to woman in street

A drunken man pushed over a wheelie bin in an Aberdeen street before warning a woman “you’re in danger”.

Gary Main’s “disgraceful” behaviour in the busy street in broad daylight also included threatening to break windows.

During the tirade, the 37-year-old toppled a wheelie bin and vowed to do the same to one of his victims.

Main has almost no memory of the offence but believed he must have been assaulted earlier in the day after finding injuries on himself.

Brenda Page murder trial delayed until next year

A new date has been set for the trial of a man accused of murdering his wife 44 years ago in Aberdeen.

Christopher Harrisson, 81, is accused of killing Dr Brenda Page at her flat in the city in 1978.

The trial, which was due to begin at the High Court in Aberdeen on Tuesday of last week, was delayed on its first day after Harrisson’s previous defence advocate David Moggach withdrew from acting in the case.

Mr Moggach stated last week this was due to a “breakdown” in the client-counsel relationship.

A92 lorry death crash trial

A lorry driver accused of killing a woman with the stabilising outrigger leg of his vehicle would have had a minimum of 66 seconds to check his mirrors to see that it was extended over the pavement.

The heavy piece of metal struck 26-year-old Inverness nursery teacher Chloe Morrison on the back, propelling her around 35 metres along the pavement of the A82 just outside Drumnadrochit on October 25, 2019.

John O’Donnell, 52, from Inverurie, has denied causing her death by driving a lorry dangerously and is standing trial at the High Court in Inverness.

Ms Morrison, who was with her mother at the time, died from multiple fractures.

O’Donnell accepts he was the driver at the time of the tragedy but denies driving dangerously by not checking his mirrors frequently and at excessive speed.

Animal rights activist in court

A pensioner has been warned he could face a prison sentence after repeatedly phoning a north-east slaughterhouse and calling staff murderers.

Animal rights activist Stephen Rae, 66, also threatened to vandalise employees’ cars during the calls to McIntosh Donald, an abattoir on Cookston Road in Portlethen.

The late-night calls were made between November 26 and December 9 2020, with a further call following on January 6 2021.

Fiscal depute David Rodger told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “On various occasions a number of phone calls were made from the accused’s mobile phone.”

Ex-cop guilty of sexual assault

A police officer who was investigated as part of a probe into allegations of bullying and misogyny at a Moray police station has been found guilty of sexually assaulting one of his female colleagues.

Now-retired policeman Herbert Scott Gallop touched the woman on the bottom and other parts of her body, despite her telling him not to.

The sexual assault is the only prosecution and conviction to result from the 15-month  Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) probe into claims of a toxic culture at Forres police office.

PIRC’s confidential report – headed by lawyer Michelle Macleod at a cost of almost £250,000 – made allegations against seven police officers but the Crown Office ultimately determined there was insufficient evidence of criminality in relation to six of them.

For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen and the latest crime and breaking incidents, join our new Facebook group.