Weekend court roll – a student stalker and a serial Aberdeen rapist

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

Kemnay man threatened to ‘blow up’ woman’s home

A man has been jailed after he threatened to firebomb a woman’s home when she sent images to his girlfriend exposing him as an unfaithful partner.

Jordan Ivancic, 27, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted making a series of threats to the woman, including to petrol bomb her home.

In a chilling collection of messages, Ivancic told the woman she was “dead” and stated he was on his way to her home where he would throw a petrol bomb through her window while her “bairn” was inside.

He also admitted another charge of injuring a child who was trying to protect a second woman from Ivancic, who was attempting to barge into their home.

Dangerous driver’s overtake on A9 blind bend caught on dashcam

A driver found himself in the dock after he was caught on dashcam overtaking on a blind bend on the A9.

Traffic management worker Ricky Stuart admitted a single charge of dangerous driving in relation to the incident on February 21 of this year.

Sheriff Neil Wilson told Stuart: “You could have killed somebody,” after hearing of the risky manoeuvre on the road near Portgower.

The defence solicitor told the court her client “made a mistake”.

Injured man found 20 metres from crash with broken back

Police spent two hours searching for an injured passenger in a serious car crash – only to find him 20 metres away from the vehicle with a broken back.

School teacher Lyalle Suarez had been under the influence of alcohol when she lost control of her Honda CR-V on the A92 between Gourdon and Benholm and plunged down a steep embankment into a field.

The vehicle automatically phoned the police and when officers arrived they found the 34-year-old smelling of alcohol and with slurred speech.

Her partner, who had been in the passenger seat, was thrown from the vehicle and suffered serious injuries.

Tain man assaulted partner’s dad as ‘revenge’ for earlier headbutt

A Tain man who assaulted his girlfriend’s dad in “revenge” for an earlier headbutt and smashed window has admitted he did it under provocation.

Benn Joy repeatedly punched his victim to the head, causing him to fall to the ground and leaving him with a cut above his eye.

Tain Sheriff Court heard that the assault took place following an earlier altercation between the two men.

Joy, 27, appeared before Sheriff Neil Wilson to enter a plea of guilty under provocation to the assault.

Sheriff’s warning to NC500 speeders

Two Swedish holidaymakers who hit speeds of more than 100mph on the NC500 have been told by a sheriff not to use the Highlands as a “playground” and “racetrack”.

David Jansson was driving a Porsche and Axel Ahgren a BMW when they were spotted by police on the A838 at the Ardmore junction.

The Porsche was clocked at 108mph  – with the BMW ahead of it.

Jansson and Ahgren, both 20, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to each admit a charge of dangerous driving on Saturday July 6.

Neighbour from hell warned his XL Bully would ‘eat’ victim

A nightmare neighbour threatened to get his XL Bully to “eat” his victim during a foul-mouthed tired of abuse.

Isaac Metcalfe shouted, swore and threatened three different neighbours during a furious meltdown in Johnshaven.

The 34-year-old warned neighbours would “get it” and that he would use an axe to smash down one man’s door.

He even fetched his formidable and controversial breed of dog, an XL Bully, and taunted that it would “eat” one of them.

Man in court after alleged Market Street knife attack

A 34-year-old man has appeared in court accused of a serious knife attack in the centre of Aberdeen.

Darren Davidson has been charged with assault to severe injury and possession of a knife.

A 32-year-old man was taken to hospital in the early hours of Sunday following the incident on Market Street.

Police were called to the scene, near the junction with Union Street, at around 12.25am following reports that a man had been assaulted with a knife.

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

Fraserburgh car dealers fined almost £9,000 after revenge attack

Two Fraserburgh car dealers have been fined almost £9,000 after carrying out a revenge attack on a man who vandalised their forecourt.

Murray Motors’ Gordon Murray, 67, and son Morgan Murray, 32, were convicted of breaking into the home of convicted vandal Roberto Tudora and assaulting him following a trial in May.

It was claimed the attack was retribution for Mr Tudora pouring a corrosive substance over cars at their South Road business a week prior to the assault.

The jury of seven men and eight women took two and a half hours to find the pair guilty by a majority with some deletions from the original charge of hamesucken assault – the act of breaking into someone’s home intending to attack them.

Man in court on knife charge after Northfield ‘commotion’

A man has appeared in court accused of having a weapon in public after police and ambulances descended on a residential street in Northfield.

Multiple emergency vehicles were called to Stewart Terrace on Sunday evening after police received reports of a disturbance at around 9.40pm.

Robert McKay, 36, has now appeared in private at Aberdeen Sheriff Court facing two charges.

McKay, whose address was given as Aberdeen, is accused of threatening and abusive behaviour and having a bladed weapon in a public place.

Sacked worker’s vow before setting caravan ablaze at Buckie croft

A sacked labourer sent a sinister text about burning his old boss on a fire before torching a caravan on her land.

Scott Finnie had been hired by the woman to carry out work on her croft near Buckie but was let go after she learned of his involvement with police as well as from a former employer, who believed he was dangerous.

Finnie – who is currently serving a custodial sentence after he flew drones illegally around Aberdeen Airport – took the sacking badly and sent a text to his partner saying: “I’ll burn her on the fire”.

On September 12 last year Finnie’s employer looked out of her window to see a static caravan on fire, before spotting a male figure in dark clothes walking into the woods.

Teen jailed after admitting injuring motorcylists in drink-driving crash

A teenager has been jailed after admitting driving dangerously and seriously injuring two motorcyclists in a drink-fuelled smash.

Joshua Stewart, 19, appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court from custody, having been placed on remand shortly after the crash, which happened earlier this year on a rural road near Maud.

Stewart pled guilty to dangerous driving, drink-driving and driving without insurance on March 1.

The charge states Stewart overtook on a blind bend “at excessive speed” on the B9029 Maud to New Deer Road crashing into oncoming traffic.

Grandfather’s tragic death might have been averted with supervision

A tragedy in which a north-east grandfather died at work after a fall might have been averted with supervision, a sheriff has ruled.

Eric McLeod was painting at height for Heatcare Oil and Gas at Heatcare House in Lhanbryde when he lost his balance and suffered a head injury.

Two passing good Samaritans came to the 72-year-old’s aid and called 999.

Eric, who lived in Fochabers, was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin with the help of firefighters and paramedics but sadly died eight hours later.

Attacker broke man’s thigh outside Ullapool hotel

A man was left with a broken thigh after trying to defuse a confrontation between two men outside a Wester Ross hotel.

Andrew Fisher shoved the good Samaritan to the ground outside the Argyle Hotel in Ullapool then walked off.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Fisher, 38, appeared to be goading the first man to fight and removed his jacket. The second man – his victim – appeared and tried to calm Fisher down.

The incident happened at around 1am on August 15 2022.

Serial thief given chance to ‘make changes’ and turn life around

A serial shoplifter who stole items worth more than £2,000 during a crime spree has been challenged to show she “means business” and can turn her life around.

Kelly Booth struck at businesses across Aberdeenshire and Moray as she toured the north-east.

Elizabeth McFarlane warned the 49-year-old, who has been “in and out of prison”, that she was “quite happy” to send her back behind bars if she continueds to steal.

But first, she gave her a chance to “make changes” and prove she can stay off drugs and on the straight and narrow.

Dangerous driver who killed Turriff grandad jailed for more than four years

A driver who killed a van driver in a horror double crash was today jailed for four years and three months.

Kyle Reid, 27, lost control when he tried to overtake a vehicle on the A947 near Whiterashes on December 11 2020.

Reid’s Ford Focus entered the wrong side of the road when he skidded and struck an HGV driven by Michael Malone.

The collision caused Mr Malone’s lorry to hit 62-year-old Anthony Duncan’s VW transporter van, killing him, while passenger Stuart Morrison, 58, was seriously injured.

Serial rapist who targeted woman in Aberdeen flat locked up for eight years

A man who repeatedly raped two women has been jailed for eight years.

Abraham Ramirez, 50, attacked his victims between March 2021 and October 2022.

Court papers state Ramirez – a University of Aberdeen graduate – first preyed on his first woman at a flat in Aberdeen after he lay on top of her.

Ramirez went on to rape the same woman again at the flat where he seized her by the body, turned her over and restrained her.

‘Infatuated’ Peterhead student stalked college lecturer for five years

A student from Peterhead has been ordered to stay away from his former lecturer after he admitted stalking her for five years.

Peter Lovie, 34, targeted his victim after she taught him at the North East of Scotland College’s (NESCol) Fraserburgh campus.

A court heard he became fixated with the woman in 2018 and pestered her repeatedly both inside and outside college, despite warnings to stop.

Lovie’s solicitor today said his client, who is autistic, had simply “read the situation wrongly”.

Ketamine driver caught 16 times limit with powder still in his nostrils

A drug-driver caught SIXTEEN times the ketamine limit – and with his nose still caked in the drug – is hoping to join the armed forces.

Joseph Trower was pulled over by police after his van was seen swerving around the road and repeatedly speeding up and slowing down.

The 22-year-old still had white powder visible around his nostrils when he was stopped on the A93 near Peterculter, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

When tests were carried out, it was revealed Trower was a staggering 16 times the legal limit, in terms of driving, for ketamine.

Pensioner left with horrific head injuries after dog attack outside Asda

An elderly shopper was left with horrific injuries after a vicious Doberman sank its teeth into her head outside a Highland supermarket.

The dog’s owner, Lisa Knight, has now been jailed after a court was told she also set the animal, named Duke, on a policeman nine days earlier.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told that police had gone to the 38-year-old’s house on April 10 last year after complaints about her abusive behaviour were made by neighbours.

The three-year-old dog bit one officer on the thigh when Knight shouted “Get them Duke!” several times.

Inverness sex offender offered 13-year-old boy cash for nudes

A sex offender offered a 13-year-old boy money for nude photographs and sexual contact.

Iain Wright sent the boy a text message asking if he could carry out a sex act on him in exchange for £100.

In another, he asked “how much would it take” for a picture of the child’s genitals.

Wright, 29 appeared via videolink from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a charge of sending sexual written communications to an older child, as well as breaching a bail condition preventing him from having unsupervised contact with children.

Peterhead prisoner gets more jail time for razor assault on inmate

A convicted sex offender has been given more jail time after admitting assaulting another inmate with a razor blade.

Patrick O’Neill, 48, appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court to plead guilty to one assault, a further two alleged assaults were dropped by the Crown.

O’Neill claimed he had found out he was going to be targeted by other inmates at HMP Grampian last September and so decided to arm himself with a homemade weapon.

Fiscal depute Ruairidh McAllister said prison offers working on HMP Grampian’s C-section became aware of a disturbance at around 9.30am on September 12 last year.

Man guilty of sex assault after touching woman’s breast outside Inverness pub

A man who touched a woman’s breast as they chatted outside an Inverness city centre pub has been found guilty of sexual assault.

Raymond Marshall, 39, had denied the charge, claiming any contact was “accidental” but was found guilty following a trial at Inverness Sheriff Court.

As a result of the conviction he was placed on the sex offenders register.

In evidence led by fiscal depute Victoria Silver, the trial heard from the woman, who explained how she had been smoking with a male friend outside Lauders Bar on Church Street when they were approached by Marshall, who introduced himself as Rambo.

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

Aberdeen thief left DNA behind as he hotwired motorbike

A motorbike thief was caught when police recovered the bike and found his DNA on the ignition wires.

Nathan Edward stole the bike on North Anderson Drive where it had been secured by its owner overnight.

But the vehicle was traced by police, despite a marker pen having been used in a bid to alter its registration plate.

And during a forensic examination, officers discovered Edward, 29, had left his DNA on the bike while hotwiring it.

Fraserburgh man avoids jail after threatening man with knife on town centre street

A Fraserburgh man avoided jail after being spotted brandishing a knife at a man in the town centre.

Sean McGillivary, 40, was seen by an off-duty police officer on August 4 last year, near Fraserburgh Bus Station, carrying a knife.

The officer had been at a nearby cafe with a friend when she raised the alarm.

Fiscal depute Ruairidh McAllister told the court at around 1.15pm McGillivary was seen having an argument with another man on the town’s Hanover Street and he was carrying a knife.

Serial 999 nuisance caller’s drunken 999 bomb hoax

A serial 999 nuisance caller has found himself back in the dock after repeatedly telling emergency services he was in possession of bombs.

Garry Donald made two calls to emergency services on consecutive nights and drunkenly claimed to have explosives, threatening to “blow himself up”.

And the 51-year-old repeat offender also called the police to report that he’d been assaulted.

But when officers arrived, Donald confessed there had been no assault but that he did have a sore stomach – due to “overindulging in junk food”.

Retired Highland cop’s son narrowly avoids jail

A retired policeman’s son assaulted one of his dad’s former colleagues when they tried to arrest him for threatening his partner with a knife.

Adam Cox had fallen out with the woman on Boxing Day last year and brought along the weapon when he confronted her at a property in Shore Street, Inverness.

When the 23-year-old’s partner saw he was holding a knife she asked: “Are you going to stab me?”

Cox replied: “Yes”.

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