Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Drink-driving soldier drove through barracks
A soldier who drowned his sorrows in his car after being dumped was caught drink-driving by his fellow squaddies as he returned to base.
Oliver Cameron drew the attention of guards at Kinloss Barracks when he drove through the base with open cans of cider and lager in his car.
The 19-year-old had been dumped by his long-term girlfriend the day before and, after drinking with others, decided to carry on the session in his car, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Stuart Coleman said he was stopped by his colleagues at 5.25am on May 14 this year after they saw him “driving at speed” past the guard room on the base.
Drug-driver crashed work van into fence
A man crashed his work van into a fence while unfit to drive through drugs – then fell asleep when being dealt with by police.
Richard Sunley was involved in the one-vehicle accident on Waterloo Quay in Aberdeen.
But when officers arrived, they found the 49-year-old stumbling around and slurring his speech.
He also repeatedly fell asleep while police and a doctor were speaking to him.
Fiscal depute Anne MacDonald told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 9.50am on January 11 2021.
Drink-driving teen’s dad takes his place in the dock
The boss of an Aberdeen helicopter firm has appeared in court to pass on apologies from his absent son, who crashed his parents’ Jaguar while over the drink-driving limit.
In circumstances that were described as “exceptional” Mohammad Reza Najd Javadi Pour sat in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and explained that his son, Sean Pour, could not attend because he was in Dubai.
But Pour, who also didn’t hold a licence at the time, was unable to attend court because of his job in the United Arab Emirates so his businessman father represented him instead.
The teenager’s dad, who owns Eunergy Helicopters, told Sheriff Shirley McKenna: “He is very sorry”.
Show-off jailed over fireball car crash
A drink-driving show-off who paralysed a passenger in a terrifying fireball car crash has been jailed for 30 months.
David Will, 29, ignored his passengers’ pleas to slow down as he raced along the A93.
He reached speeds of up to 120mph before losing control and crashing near Peterculter.
The horrific crash left the high-powered Audi Will was driving on its roof and in flames.
Pair in court following alleged stabbing of woman in Buckie
A man and a woman have appeared in court charged in connection with an alleged stabbing in Buckie over the weekend.
One woman, aged 32, had to be airlifted to hospital for emergency treatment after a disturbance near the Scotmid store on Milton Drive shortly before 1pm on Sunday June 11.
Ashley Reaich, 32, and Lauren Harper, 30, appeared in private at Elgin Sheriff Court on Monday.
They’re both charged with assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger to life.
Reaich is also charged with being in possession of a knife or pointed implement.
Chef armed with knives threatened soldiers
A chef sparked an armed police response after arming himself with two knives and threatening to stab soldiers following a row in a pub.
Tony Haynes had been drinking with friends in the Barrel pub in Ballater when he stormed out after a “heated” conversation with two soldiers from the nearby barracks.
But the 30-year-old was then seen emerging from his home across the road with a knife in each hand.
He was heard to say, “They don’t need to talk to me like that. I’m going to slit their throats”.
Moray car dealership raider jailed
A man has been jailed after a “daring” raid on a Moray motor dealership which lost more than £60,000 worth of cars.
Darren Malone, 27, admitted being part of a gang that travelled from Edinburgh to target Hawco Elgin.
They made off with three cars – a black Volkswagen T-Roc, grey Volkswagen Golf and red Audi A3 – in January of 2021.
Impatient Aberdeen drug dealer begs judge for seven-year jail term
An impatient Aberdeen drug dealer begged a judge to lock him in prison for seven years because he didn’t want to wait until July for his lawyer to argue for reduced jail time.
Jay Paul Barry Thompson, 21, had previous convictions for drug dealing when police caught him in Aberdeen in March 2023 with cocaine and heroin.
On Tuesday, Advocate Gareth Reid told the High Court in Edinburgh that, under the law, somebody in his client’s position should receive an automatic seven-year jail term.
But he claimed there may be reasons concerning Thompson’s background that would allow the court to impose a lesser sentence.
Mr Reid urged the court to obtain a report and defer sentence and then he would tell the court why his client should not receive the automatic jail term.
But then the 21-year-old, who was observing proceedings via video link, could be seen shaking his head.
When Lady Haldane asked him why he was doing this, the offender replied: “I will be honest. I would rather get sentenced today”.
Man accused of holding sectarian banner at Aberdeen football match
A man will stand trial accused of holding a sectarian banner at an Aberdeen football match against Rangers.
Neale Ross, 34, allegedly committed the offence at Ibrox Stadium on October 29 2022.
The Gers hosted foes Aberdeen in a match that the Glasgow side won 4-1.
Court papers state Ross conducted himself in a disorderly manner at the match.
Man in court on alleged Cove rape and attempted murder charges
A man has appeared in court on rape and attempted murder charges after an alleged incident in Cove over the weekend.
Police were called to an address on Charleston Road North in the Cove area of the city on Saturday evening.
Forensic investigators were seen at the home gathering evidence at the scene.
Now, Kyle Allan has appeared in private at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, facing two serious charges in connection with the incident.
Addict who robbed £20k watch from sleeping pensioner jailed
A violent robber who stole a £20,000 watch from a sleeping pensioner has been jailed for five years because he’s a “serious risk to the public”.
Ashley Beckwith told his victim “I’m going to kill you” and held a screwdriver to the 68-year-old’s neck during the terrifying ordeal.
The 34-year-old then dragged the man through his own home, robbing him of luxury items including a Patek Phillipe watch worth around £20,000.
Beckwith, who considered his victim “good to steal from”, removed the luxury watch from the man’s wrist and told him it would feed his own family for a year.
Man raped woman and molested girl while freed on bail
A rapist who preyed on a sleeping woman after he was freed on six separate bail orders has been jailed for five years.
Coran Wells, 22, committed sex attacks against two vulnerable victims within a week in Stornoway, on Lewis, in the Western Isles.
Wells molested a 17-year-girl who he had only met that day, before striking again seven days later when he committed the rape of the adult woman.
A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh told him: “Both of your victims were distressed afterwards as a result of your unwanted behaviour”.
Solicitor on trial accused of embezzling £120,000 from woman with dementia
An Aberdeen solicitor has gone on trial accused of embezzling £120,000 from a vulnerable elderly woman.
John Sinclair is alleged to have removed the sum of money from various bank accounts belonging to a wealthy 90-year-old client after she was diagnosed with dementia and placed in a nursing home.
The 69-year-old lawyer had been granted power of attorney over the woman’s finances and welfare following her diagnosis in 2014.
Sinclair, of Murtle Den Road, Aberdeen, denies all the charges against him.
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Dealer came to Inverness to sell drugs to pay off his own drug debt
A drug dealer from Liverpool who came to Inverness to sell drugs in order to pay off his own drug debt has been jailed for three years.
Liam Southart, 22, was snared by police as he tried to sell hundreds of pounds worth of crack cocaine and heroin in May 2021.
Southart, of Meadow Row, Runcorn, Castlefields, actually increased his drugs debt because of his arrest, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
He was caught again after intelligence received by police led to a raid on two Inverness houses on December 9, 2021.
Vandal tried to spill fuel at BP garage he trashed
A violent drunk trashed a BP garage where he tried to spray fuel all over the forecourt, ruined 3,580 shop items and caused £30,000 of damage.
Derek Ellington’s destructive rampage “terrified” witnesses, who feared the BP filling station in Dyce might go up in flames.
The 36-year-old had been released from police custody just hours before he wandered into the Wellheads Avenue business.
After being asked to leave, Ellington began flinging glass bottles and a shopworker pressed the panic button while another witness hid in the staff room.
Aberdeen filmmaker accused of fraud and tax evasion
An Aberdeen filmmaker will go on trial for alleged fraud offences involving over £78,000 from transactions spanning more than five years.
Hassan Nazer, who filmed the movie ‘Utopia’ in Aberdeen, is accused of fraudulently obtaining money from customers knowing full well he had his assets sequestrated in 2010.
Court papers state that the 43-year-old was banned from running a limited company when he is alleged to have opened a business bank account.
It’s claimed he did so in the name of his co-accused Masoud Mehri, also 43, and used that account for his business Pasargad Warehouse Ltd.
‘Offensive weapon’ charges after alleged street fight
Two men have appeared in court on “offensive weapon” charges after an alleged fight on an Aberdeen city centre street.
Police were called to the outside of a flat on Jasmine Terrace, just off King Street, late on Sunday afternoon.
Kevin Donegan, 28, and Paul Harper, 34, both of Aberdeen, are each charged with breach of the peace.
They’re both also accused of being in possession of an offensive weapon.
Teenager downloaded sick child abuse video of six-month-old baby
A teenager downloaded a vile child abuse video – the most extreme of its kind – featuring a six-month-old baby, a court has heard.
Struan Nicol, 19, was caught with 70 images and 18 videos on his devices after police searched his home.
The raid took place following a tip-off about Nicol’s sick online activities.
Officers seized devices used by the teen when they learned an IP address linked with his home address had been used to access child abuse material.
‘Sleepy’ Morrisons delivery driver caused crash that broke man’s back
A Morrisons delivery driver who was too tired after a night out in Aberdeen caused a horrific crash that broke another man’s back and left him in an induced coma.
Ghulam Butt had began his shift delivering groceries for the supermarket just hours after a night out in the city centre.
The exhausted 24-year-old told a friend he needed a “nap” and was “falling asleep” before he tackled a bend on the B9002 Insch to Kennethmont road too fast.
Then the supermarket van crossed over to the wrong side of the road and crashed into a grey Honda Jazz coming the other way.
Lawyer admitted taking ‘some money’ from OAP, embezzlement trial told
A partner at the Aberdeen law firm where a solicitor allegedly swindled a vulnerable elderly client out of £120,000 has told a court that he admitted to taking “some money”.
John Sinclair, a former partner at James and George Collie Solicitors, denies embezzling a large sum of money from bank accounts belonging to 90-year-old client Dr Doreen Milne.
Sinclair, 69, had been granted power of attorney over the wealthy retired doctor’s finances and welfare following her dementia diagnosis in 2014.
Retired lawyer Anne-Mayse Churchill told the court that, following his dismissal from the firm, Sinclair told her during a private meeting “that he had taken some money”.
Woman who was cleared of finger-chop plot fined for trying to silence witness in her trial
A woman who was cleared of plotting to have the wedding ring finger of her ex-husband’s new wife chopped off has been fined for trying to silence a witness in the trial.
Deborah Donald, also known as Leiper or Paton, was accused of hatching a plan to have drug addicts break into Danielle Paton’s home, cut off her finger and steal her wedding ring.
It was alleged that the 44-year-old, who was facing a charge of conspiracy, offered to pay the group £20,000 to carry out the scheme.
But after a key witness told the court he couldn’t remember what he said to police in his statement, the Crown chose to drop the conspiracy charge.
However, Donald pled guilty to a second charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Man, 20, who downloaded 142 child abuse images told his crime was ‘by no means victimless’
A man who downloaded 142 images of child abuse has been told by a sheriff that his crime was “by no means victimless”.
Michael Fallows, 20, appeared for sentencing before Sheriff Gary Aitken after previously admitting to possessing the indecent images.
Inverness Sheriff Court had been told that 43 of them were the most extreme kinds of abuse.
The images were found on a Samsung device after police received intelligence that they had been downloaded on March 5 2021.
Ban for violent Caley Thistle fan
A drunken Caley Thistle fan who fought with police and tried to smuggle fireworks into a game against St Johnstone has been handed a year-long football ban.
Cody Craig traveled from his home in Inverness to McDiarmid Park in Perth for last year’s Scottish Premiership play-offs.
He was searched by police who found two pyrotechnics tucked into his trousers.
The 18-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted assaulting a female police officer, behaving in a threatening or abusive way and trying to take banned items into a football game on May 22 2022.
Jailed dog owner failed to take injured puppy to vet
An unemployed chef has been jailed for failing to take his puppy to the vet – despite it suffering a broken leg after being hit by a car.
Luke Kildare’s 18-week-old shepherd cross called Fatty spent more than two hours in agony.
It was only given medical help after animal welfare officers were alerted to its suffering and forcibly seized the puppy to take it to a vet.
The intervention came after the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) was called.
Sheriff tells man he can’t shoot ‘annoying’ neighbours
A sheriff has warned a man that he can’t threaten to shoot his neighbours – “however annoying” they are.
Wesley MacDonald had been drinking in his garden on Inchbrae Drive, Aberdeen, where a row broke out between him and his neighbours.
And things quickly escalated when the 45-year-old began claiming he had a gun and would “shoot” them.
Fiscal depute Georgia Laird told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 10.30pm on August 13 last year.
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Man in court after police raids uncover £24,000 of drugs and cash in Dingwall
A man has appeared in court after police raids uncovered an estimated £24,000 worth of drugs in Dingwall.
Pawel Grenda is charged with being concerned with the supply of drugs and an air weapons licensing breach.
Officers had carried out searches at three Ross-shire properties where the drugs haul and a four-figure sum of cash were all confiscated.
Following the discovery on Tuesday June 13, which was sparked by a tip-off to the police, Grenda was arrested.
Dodgy roof repairman scammed OAP
A bogus workman from Aberdeen played a role in conning an elderly woman out of £22,000 for dodgy roof repairs that weren’t even worth a penny.
John Forrest, 38, and Kevin Russell, 43, scammed Carol Primrose, 81, between August and November 2020.
Forrest, of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, cold-called Carol telling the pensioner that she needed her roof repaired.
But he sporadically turned up at her home in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, and requested thousands in payments on six occasions.
After the repairs were found to be faulty, Russell, of Aberdeen, took on the job and asked for even more money.
Embezzlement trial hears of ‘damning’ papers in solicitor’s desk
A senior Aberdeen lawyer broke into his colleague’s desk and discovered the co-worker had embezzled “substantially more” from an elderly client than first suspected – a jury has heard.
Duncan Love, a partner at James and George Collie Solicitors in Aberdeen, said he and a colleague “discovered a smoking gun” after cracking the lock of solicitor John Sinclair’s desk with a hammer and screwdriver.
Mr Love told jurors at Aberdeen Sheriff Court that he was horrified to find bank statements suggesting Sinclair had embezzled £120,000.
The accused, who denies any guilt, had been dismissed from the firm only days before when he was found to control a number of bank accounts belonging to a vulnerable 90-year-old woman.
No jail for stranger who followed woman into her home and sexually assaulted her
An Inverness woman with a learning disability was sexually assaulted by a stranger who followed his victim into her home.
David Geddes – who lives with psychological “difficulties” – went into the property and told the woman to undress and then touched her sexually.
He also told the lady that he wanted to have sex with her, before leaving the scene.
Geddes, 38, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to be punished for his disturbing crime.
Man repeatedly raped unconscious wife as she slept
A vile Peterhead man has been found guilty of repeatedly raping his unconscious wife while she was on strong medication to help her sleep.
John Lindsay raped the mother of his children on various occasions at their Portlethen home while she was in a deep sleep and would not wake up.
Michelle Newman, who has waived her right to anonymity, began to suspect what was happening and the 38-year-old then confronted him.
But the brazen sex offender lied and claimed that nothing had happened.
Axe attacker avoids jail
An axe-wielding man who smashed his neighbour’s window and went on to abuse NHS workers has avoided a jail sentence.
Gavin Hampton targeted the frightened woman’s home in a violent outburst that required armed police to be deployed on Gilbert Street in Inverness.
After the 24-year-old shattered the glass pane, Hampton then grabbed the broken shards and cut his own hands.
He later made threats against the police and caused a scene in front of children as he shouted and swore at Raigmore Hospital’s A&E staff who tried to treat his wounds.
Kyle of Lochalsh murder accused pair back in court on fresh charges
Two people who are accused of murdering a man in Kyle of Lochalsh have returned to court on fresh charges in the case.
Michael Joyce and Antonia Gunn reappeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court on Friday.
It followed the death of 61-year-old Michael Whyte, who died at a property on Plock Road earlier this year, on April 23.
Joyce, 31, and Gunn, 26, were arrested last week after detectives from Police Scotland’s Major Investigation Team launched a potential murder probe.
It’s now also alleged that the two accused disposed of evidence and attempted to defeat the ends of justice.
Rape survivor’s powerful message
A woman whose husband repeatedly raped her while she was sleeping has spoken of her decade-long fight to convict her attacker – urging other victims not to give up on justice.
Michelle Newman, who bravely waived her right to anonymity, has spoken exclusively to The Press and Journal to share her powerful message with other affected women.
In an inspiring interview with the 38-year-old, Michelle has spoken out about her harrowing rape trial that led to John Lindsay, 39, awaiting a prison sentence.
Lindsay raped Ms Newman over and over again over a period of several months while she was taking strong medication that put her into a deep sleep.
Solicitor claimed handwritten letter let him take OAP’s cash, trial told
A solicitor who’s accused of swindling £120,000 from an elderly woman claimed a handwritten letter he wrote proves he could take her money, a jury has heard.
John Sinclair, a former partner at James and George Collie Solicitors in Aberdeen, denues removing a large sum of money from bank accounts belonging to Dr Doreen Milne.
The 69-year-old had been granted power of attorney over the retired doctor’s finances following the 90-year-old client’s dementia diagnosis in 2014.
Jurors in the trial were shown an alleged agreement written by Sinclair for Dr Milne.
Police officer cleared of sending indecent images to domestic abuse victim
A police officer has been found not guilty of sending explicit images of himself to a domestic abuse victim following a three-day trial.
Kyle MacKinnon, 38, was cleared of the allegations at Elgin Sheriff Court.
At the end of proceedings, the sheriff said Police Scotland’s own investigation work “fell short” in testing the claims that were at the heart of the Crown’s case.
But despite being acquitted, Sheriff Harvie told MacKinnon: “I believe very little of what you said”.
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