Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Aberdeen woman who glassed pub-goer’s face ‘would do it again’
An Aberdeen secretary permanently disfigured a man by smashing a glass in his face and then told the police that she “would do it again”.
Catriona Downie, 45, later wept in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court as her actions were read out – even putting her hand over her ears on one occasion.
She had confronted the man in the city centre bar McNasty’s, where the disorderly thug threw her glass at his face.
The glass shattered as it struck the victim, causing a deep laceration over his right eye.
Inverness man appears in court charged with assault, threatening staff and shoplifting
A man has appeared in court today accused of assault, shoplifting and threatening staff.
We reported yesterday that police had cordoned off a property on Tomnahurich Street, Inverness, near the Tesco supermarket at around 10am on Sunday.
Police removed the tape and left the area later on in the day.
Man grew cannabis worth up to £46,000 in Lossiemouth farm outbuilding
A man who grew up to £46,000 of cannabis in a farm outbuilding has been warned he could face jail.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told police, acting on intelligence, raided a property at Easter Greens near Lossiemouth, that Craig McKinnon was renting.
In a locked outbuilding they found cannabis plants, grow tents, heat lamps, air filters and an irrigation system.
Drug-dealing dad chasing ‘easy’ money jailed as cocaine found on baby’s dummy
A drug-dealing dad who wanted to make “easy” money has been jailed after traces of cocaine and cannabis were found on his baby daughter’s dummies.
Shaun O’Driscoll, 29, was caught with cannabis worth up to £55,000, as well as cannabis resin and cocaine when tragedy struck and his daughter was rushed to hospital.
Heartbreakingly, and unrelated to the case, the baby girl passed away and it was during the police investigation that officers found the Rosehill Drive flat littered with drugs.
Man attacked teen sister’s new boyfriend with metal pole because he was a ‘bad influence’
A man who attacked his sister’s new boyfriend with a metal pole before trying to run over a concerned bystander has avoided a prison sentence.
Mohammed Islam carried out the brutal attack because his family did not approve of his 17-year-old sister’s choice of boyfriend, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
After donning a black balaclava and gloves, Islam confronted the man in a city playpark before raining blows down on him.
Aberdeen crack addict went on break-in spree when parents didn’t invite him over for Christmas
An Aberdeen crack cocaine addict went on a drug-fuelled festive break-in spree when his parents didn’t want to see him for Christmas.
Derek Ellington smashed his way into four different takeaways and a cafe properties in between Christmas and New Year 2023.
The 37-year-old struck at Woodend Fast Food Takeaway, Crema Cafe, Greenfern Chinese and Fireaway Pizza and swiped cash from the tills.
Inverbervie digger driver choked partner then hid from police in cupboard
An Inverbervie man assaulted his partner by choking and hitting her then hid in a cupboard when police were called.
Alistair Reid, 56, was subject to bail conditions not to contact the woman when he turned up at her Elgin home in December of 2022.
During the visit, Reid lost his temper and attacked her – on one occasion choking her on a bed and on another slapping her on both sides of her face, leaving her with pain and bruising.
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Highland hotel boss sexually assaulted man in one of the rooms
The boss of a Highland hotel has admitted sexually assaulting a drunken male guest in one of the rooms.
William Parsons, 70, had been due to stand trial at the High Court in Livingston for raping the man but the Crown accepted his guilty plea to a reduced charge of sexual assault.
The court heard police officers had taken Parsons’ 38-year-old victim to the Royal Hotel in Tain in November 2022 because he had nowhere else to stay.
Man fined for assaulting Inverness strip club boss
A customer who assaulted a strip club manager after taking issue with a transaction has ended up £1,675 out of pocket after a sheriff fined him for his behaviour.
Jamie Ross attacked the member of staff at Private Eyes in Inverness after the transaction “didn’t quite go the way he had expected”.
Ross, 40, had visited the Academy Street strip club on his birthday after drinking in city bars.
Aberdeen company director stalked ex-girlfriend for seven months following break-up
A company director has been ordered to stay away from his former partner after mercilessly stalking her for seven months following the end of their relationship.
Edmund Speakman, 34, repeatedly contacted the woman by phone, text and email and even turned up outside her home, despite the woman begging him to stop.
During one disturbing incident, the woman returned home and was feeding her cat outside when she saw Speakman scaling her garden fence.
Man locked up for role in Torry drugs gang
A man has been caged for his role in a Torry drug-dealing gang.
Eythan Eite operated a mobile phone used to advertise class-A drugs for sale to hundreds of potential customers in Aberdeen.
The 24-year-old would be contacted by users looking to source drugs and then facilitated and arranged deals.
Inverness man caught with kilo of cannabis told police it was for personal use
A man caught with a kilo of cannabis worth up to £14,995 told police he ordered it online.
Michael Hamill also insisted the class B drugs were for his own use and said scales that were found at his home were to check that he hadn’t been ripped off.
But appearing at Inverness Sheriff Court this week, Hamill admitted a single charge of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Highland turbine technician ‘fell asleep at wheel’ before A9 crash
A wind turbine technician believes he fell asleep at the wheel moments before a crash in which he veered into the wrong lane of the A9 and into the path of an oncoming car.
Edward Macdonald-Haig lost control of his Toyota Hilux truck and collided with a northbound Volkswagen Passat, shunting it off the road.
The accident happened near the B898 turn-off, past Dunkeld, just days before Christmas 2022.
Both drivers were injured, with 43-year-old Macdonald-Haig breaking multiple bones.
Kintore joiner caught on camera ‘humping floor’ of customer’s living room
An Aberdeenshire joiner has been fined after he was caught on a customer’s CCTV camera sexually thrusting his hips on her living room floor.
Andrew Milne, 39, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted a charge of public indecency after he was caught undoing his belt and carrying out the sexual act for around five minutes.
Milne’s actions – which were described as “disgusting” by a sheriff – were only discovered when the woman’s 18-year-old daughter happened to check the home’s security camera footage.
‘Depraved’ Aberdeen DJ who raped student locked up for seven years
An Aberdeen DJ has been jailed for seven years after he was found guilty of raping a city student.
Alisdair Randalls, 30, attacked the young woman at his flat in Aberdeen in December 2015 having met via the Tinder dating app.
The victim later texted him stating: “Do you even remember last night and that no means no?”
He replied: “I do not remember – sorry.”
Former Highland police officer jailed for ‘humiliating’ abuse of woman
A former Highland police officer was jailed for seven years today for the “humiliating” abuse of a woman who did not consent when he had sex with her.
Christopher Wylie, 47, also offered another man sexual intercourse with his victim in exchange for drugs.
Wylie, a used car salesman, throttled the woman and lunged at her while he was in possession of a knife during abusive conduct that spanned 20 months.
Fake Aberdeen taxi driver who sexually assaulted female passengers avoids prison sentence
A serial sex offender who lured women into his car by pretending to be an Aberdeen taxi driver before sexually assaulting them has been placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
Junaid Muhammed Naheed tricked two women in the city centre by offering them a lift and presenting himself as a licenced taxi driver.
He then lunged forward and groped them without their consent.
Aberdeen bouncer shoved Christmas reveller to ground and caused serious brain injury
A dad was shoved by an Aberdeen bouncer and left with brain injuries when his head hit the pavement.
Ian Cadger was on a Christmas night out with colleagues when he was assaulted by doorman Akos Lokai outside McNasty’s bar on Summer Street.
Lokai was today fined more than £6,000 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court – a punishment Mr Cadger told the P&J that will never come close to reflecting his pain and trauma.
Thug dodges jail despite stamping on head of man who hugged his girlfriend
A violent thug who attacked a man who hugged his girlfriend – knocking him unconscious and stamping on his head – has avoided a prison sentence.
Donald Stewart argued with the man in The Snuggery on Market Street – but when the pair were kicked out things became violent and he lashed out.
As they left the bar into the alleyway outside, Stewart punched his victim in the face, knocking him to the ground where he repeatedly stamped on his head.
Inverness thief swung bicycle chain at shop worker’s head
A thief who swung a bicycle chain at a shopworker’s head has avoided prison but was told by a sheriff he is on “staggeringly thin ice”.
Arin Proudfoot made the threatening gesture towards a female member of staff at Inverness’ Go Outdoors store after she tried to reclaim a jacket he’d just shoplifted.
The 31-year-old appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted three charges of theft by housebreaking, one of shoplifting and one of threatening or abusive behaviour.
Drone pilot jailed after risking ‘catastrophic’ collision with aircraft
A drone pilot has been jailed after he breached airspace around Aberdeen International Airport and flew his aircraft alongside a plane.
Scott Finnie was warned his reckless actions could have caused a “catastrophic” accident after two separate incidents in Dyce.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told Finnie flew his drone “alongside” a plane less than a mile-and-a-half from the runway and in “close proximity” to a helicopter on another occasion even closer to the airport.
The incidents contravened strict no-fly zone rules and endangered the aircraft.
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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.
Men facing jail after banned handguns found in Aberdeenshire village
Two men were facing jail sentences today after police found two banned handguns when they responded to reports of shots being fired in an Aberdeenshire village.
Officers turned up at Richard Robinson’s home in Crimond on a Sunday evening after gunshots were heard at the address.
They found Robinson and Callum Williamson in the cottage on Logie Road and saw a gift bag lying on the living room floor containing bullets and an antique Colt Derringer.
Teacher sentenced for sexual assault at Aberdeen Salvation Army concert
A music teacher found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman during a Salvation Army concert is now on the sex offenders register.
Dean Bromage has been ordered to perform unpaid work after being convicted of groping the woman in two separate incidents.
Bromage had denied leaning back and touching the woman between her legs and touching her breast during the charity performances.
Man handed unpaid work for exposing himself to female postal workers
A pensioner has been ordered to carry out unpaid work after he was convicted of exposing himself to two female postal workers.
John Pickford was found guilty following a trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court of intentionally showing his private parts to the women as they carried out their jobs.
Both women reported the 68-year-old to police after they approached his home to deliver mail but were met by Pickford exposing his genitals.
Sheriff’s ‘fury’ at Highland paedophile
A Highland sheriff had to step away from the bench today in order for her fury to subside as she sentenced a Highland paedophile who “plumbed the depths of depravity”.
Sheriff Sara Matheson had just been told of some of the sickening messages that Ross-shire dad David Murchison had sent during his attempts to get hold of indecent images of a child.
Murchison, 41, thought he was speaking to a like-minded mum in an internet chat room but it was actually an undercover police officer
Battling brothers caused Dundee railway station chaos on New Firm derby day
Two brothers caused chaos at Dundee railway station on New Firm derby day when police tried to arrest them after passengers were abused on a train.
James Beattie, 40, shouted “get back to your own country” to an Asian couple on the train from Aberdeen to Dundee on February 26 2022.
He later brandished a glass bottle after getting off at Dundee, where he was met by police.
Aberdeen fans Beattie and his 25-year-old brother Ryan – both of Cardenden – were arrested.
Driver banned after knocking down shopper outside Aberdeen Tesco
A man has been handed a driving ban after knocking down and injuring a 55-year-old woman outside Tesco in Aberdeen.
Stuart Mathieson, 57, didn’t spot the woman crossing the road with her shopping when he pulled out onto Rousay Drive.
The woman had almost reached the pavement when she was struck by Mathieson’s grey Ford Focus and knocked to the ground.
Woman fined after she ‘lost control’ and assaulted friend during Hogmanay bash
A woman has been fined after she “snapped” and violently attacked her friend on Hogmanay.
Kennedy Burke appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where she admitted carrying out a sudden and unprovoked assault in Malone’s Bar in Aberdeen as they waited to ring in the New Year.
The 24-year-old’s solicitor described Burke as having “lost control” after her friend had made “derogatory comments” about a colleague.
Burke then slapped the woman and repeatedly punched her on the ground.
RAF man fined after glass attack on ‘dry humper’ in Elgin bar
An RAF serviceman has admitted hitting a man on the head with a glass in retaliation for being “dry humped” in an Elgin pub.
Dylan McCulloch, 23, a logistics worker with the air force, appeared in Elgin Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to the charge of assault.
His victim had been in Dicey’s Bar, on Elgin’s City Arms Close, on August 26 last year with a group of friends.
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