Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Sheriff spares Staffy that only let go of other dog when owner bit its ears
A dangerous Staffy that attacked a woman’s dog and only released it when she jumped on to of it and bit its ear has dodged a destruction order.
Ross Kemp’s pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier, called Storm, ran into the communal area of a block of flats at Charlotte Gardens in Aberdeen and clamped its jaws down on a Maltese dog.
The animal’s horrified owner desperately tried to get Storm off her beloved pet and, when all else failed, she used her teeth to bite Storm’s ear.
Teenager guilty of weapons charges after twice having a knife in Nairn
A teenager has been found guilty of two weapons charges after twice having a knife in Nairn.
One witness told the court how they were left feeling “scared” after seeing Travis Abbott produce what looked like a kitchen knife.
Another described how they ran away after seeing Abbott, who they had previously been involved in a “feud” with, pull a knife from his waistband.
Abbott, 19, denied two charges of having a knife in a public place on April 18 and May 14 2022.
Woman caught carrying TWO knives at Aberdeen Sheriff Court
A woman was caught with two knives at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after a social worker spotted them and raised the alarm.
Kayleigh Armstrong turned up at the city centre courthouse carrying not one but two blades.
It was during a meeting with the criminal justice social work team that the weapons were spotted.
After Armstrong, 31, had left, her social worker decided to contact the police.
Man avoids prison after he throttled wife with such force she had to have tube fitted to breathe
A woman who woke on Christmas Day to find her husband trying to strangle her was rushed to hospital where he told medics she’d “fallen down the stairs”.
Gediminas Tamulis, 40, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted viciously assaulting his wife to the extent she had to be intubated when her lungs collapsed.
It was stated that the woman – who suffered permanent and lasting damage from the attack – crawled off the bed when she couldn’t breathe under her husband’s vice grip.
She then fell to the floor and he landed on top of her causing even greater injury, the court heard.
Driver who failed to stop for police had no insurance
A driver who failed to stop for police had no insurance on his vehicle, Inverness Sheriff Court has heard.
Blaine Lobban convinced officers he planned to pull over but instead accelerated away.
When they traced him at home they discovered his vehicle was not insured.
Murderer who stole £120,000 from mother-in-law avoids jail
A convicted murderer who stole of £120,000 from his mother-in-law’s estate has avoided jail after a court heard he could pay the full amount back with interest.
Ivan Downes – who was jailed for life in England in 1992 – had already been recalled to prison on licence due to his dishonest actions and, as a result, had served 13 months in custody before the case even made it to court.
Noting this, along with the fact that Downes recently came into an unspecified windfall, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank handed out a compensation order and fine totalling £219,000.
Double-the-limit Inverness drink-driver spotted ‘veering’ in road
Police stopped a double the limit drink-driver after he was spotted veering in the road, a court has heard.
Jordan Blackley had glazed eyes and slurred speech when officers stopped him near the Highland Rugby Club in Inverness.
His solicitor told the court Blackley had made an “error in judgement” thinking that alcohol he had previously consumed would be out of his system.
Blackley, 27, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of drink-driving.
Repeat speeder banned after being clocked at up to 100mph
A repeat speeder has been banned from the road after being clocked at close to 100mph on rural Aberdeenshire roads.
Ross Milne sped past traffic cops at between 90 and 100mph and they had to hit 107mph in order to catch up.
The 20-year-old pled guilty to driving carelessly on the A920 Pitmedden to Ellon road near the junction to Logierieve, an unclassified road near Cairnhill, Insch, the B900 towards Hillhead Road, the B9005 to Hill Head of Fechil and St Marys Drive, Ellon.
Judge hails courage of rape survivors to ensure ‘justice was done’
A judge has hailed the “courage” of rape survivors who gave evidence to ensure their arrogant attacker was brought to justice.
Niyel Lennock, 28, was convicted of six charges of rape and one of sexual assault against two women, as well as one count of sexually assaulting a primary school-aged child.
Lennock was also found guilty of abusive behaviour towards three women, as well as threatening to disclose and disclosing intimate photographs of a former partner.
He was cleared of one count of rape.
Driver spotted with bottle of alcohol blocking road in Beauly
A man was spotted with a bottle of alcohol in the driver’s seat, blocking the road in Beauly.
When a member of the public approached Kevin MacGillivray he drove off – but not before they spotted the drink and smelled alcohol on him.
Police were called and MacGillivray was traced – but when they told him he was being reported for the matter, he kicked an officer.
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Man jailed after he strangled ex-partner as she walked home
A convicted rapist has been jailed for two years after strangling his partner in apparent retribution for breaking off their relationship.
Ricky Younger, 33, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted following the woman back to her flat before carrying out the brutal attack.
Younger – who shook his head as details of his offences were read out in court – threw the woman to the ground before seizing her by the throat.
He had only been released from prison a little over three weeks before.
Van driver to stand trial for killing Skye shinty club chieftain
A van driver is to stand trial accused of killing a well-known Skye shinty club chieftain in a road crash.
Malcolm Murchison, 70, is said to have been involved in the collision on the A87 near Portree which resulted in the death of Skye Camanachd’s Donnie Martin, 65, on May 5 2022.
Prosecutors state Murchison was behind the wheel of his van with a loaded trailer attached which “exceeded the maximum towing capacity” of the vehicle.
Aberdeen fans who were part of masked ‘disorderly crowd’ in Dundee appear in court
Dundee United fans were subjected to abuse from a mask-wearing crowd of Aberdeen supporters before a New Firm derby, a court heard today.
Cameron Craig and Ben Johnston were among the dozens of men dressed in black, who conducted themselves in a disorderly manner on March 4 2023.
The pair pled guilty to behaving abusively during the incident and are now awaiting sentencing at Dundee Sheriff Court.
Johnston, 18, also admitted a separate charge of struggling violently with five police officers.
Cold, hungry man repays good Samaritan who helped him – by stealing his car
A cold and hungry man repaid a good Samaritan who gave him food, shelter and money by stealing his car.
Clinton Westlake-Tritton ran into an old neighbour who he persuaded to allow him to come back to his home on Charlotte Gardens.
Once there, the sympathetic man gave Westlake-Tritton food, cigarettes and even lent him money.
Dad who glassed man in Aberdeen bar confessed to taxi driver
A dad-of-two who glassed a man in an Aberdeen bar confessed to a taxi driver on his way to hospital.
Ewan Mann lashed out at his victim as they argued in Dusk on the city’s Langstane Place.
Mann flew into a rage at comments made by the male, who had previously been romantically involved with Mann’s partner while the couple had been separated.
The attack left the 26-year-old’s victim with gashes to his forehead and lip.
Woman allowed dealer to post £14,000 of cocaine to her house
A woman has been handed a supervision order after she allowed her drug dealer to have £14,000 of cocaine posted to her address.
The parcel, which was addressed to Nicola Miller, was intercepted by authorities at the Royal Mail office on Ashgrove Road.
When police investigated and found thousands of pounds worth of the Class A drug inside, it was not difficult to trace the 40-year-old, whose name and address were printed on the label.
Woman whose noisy dog brought police to her door had £23,000 worth of cannabis inside
An Aberdeen woman has avoided a prison sentence after her noisy dog drew police to her home where they discovered £23,000 of cannabis.
Chloe Urquieta, 23, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where she admitted having a plastic bag filled with cannabis in a cupboard when police forced entry to her property in the Torry area of the city.
Urquieta, also known as Chloe McLaughlin, was out when officers were called to her home in the early hours of the morning due to reports of a dog in distress.
Aberdeenshire pensioner found guilty of sexually abusing child for years
A north-east pensioner has been found guilty of repeatedly sexually abusing a child from the age of 10.
Peter Fenton, 68, was convicted by a jury at Aberdeen Sheriff Court of sexually touching the young girl over a nearly three-year period at an address in Aberdeenshire.
Fenton, who denied the charges, was found guilty by a jury of 11 women and four men after more than three hours of deliberation.
Dad leaves children in tears after angry outburst at school
Terrified schoolchildren were left in tears when a dad turned up shouting, swearing and banging on the door to get in.
James Watt had turned up to Heathryburn School to collect his daughter but became incensed when he saw an incident at reception.
Still in the vestibule area and faced with a locked door, the 47-year-old began pounding on the door and shouted and swore at staff to let him in.
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Offshore worker told to pay assault victim compensation
An offshore worker who attacked a man outside and Aberdeen pub and left him scarred has been ordered to pay his victim compensation.
Barry Riley and his victim had both been drinking at the Three Lums pub in Sheddocksley before getting into an altercation outside.
Riley, 29, pushed the man to the ground, causing his glasses to break and leave nasty cuts around his eye.
Man wrapped cord around woman’s throat
A terrified pregnant woman made a desperate call to her mother and pleaded “help me, mum, help me” before her violent partner began to wrap a cord around her neck.
Sean Hanratty was highly emotional in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court as his drug and alcohol-fuelled offences against his partner were read out in graphic detail.
They included numerous violent assaults against the woman, including punching her in the face while his children were present.
Pervert Aberdeen electrician snuck into woman’s home with sex doll
An Aberdeen pervert snuck into a woman’s home with a sex doll, dressed it up in her clothing and took photographs of it.
Electrician James Denholm – who targeted 18 different victims in the city – also set up hidden cameras to watch women using the toilet and secretly filmed them through windows and even a keyhole.
The voyeur crept into the home of one victim undetected for five years and took photographs of her belongings, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.
Sheriff gives lawnmower thief dressing down
A man has been ordered to carry out unpaid work after stealing a near-£600 lawnmower.
Sean McGee stole the petrol mowing machine from a shed on Keithhall Road in Inverurie.
The 23-year-old was then captured on video wheeling the mower along the road near to his address.
Repeat child groomer caught sending sick messages
A repeat child groomer could be sent to prison after he was caught sending sexual messages to a decoy.
Former cabaret singer Darren Whyte, 34, told the ‘child’ – actually an adult – he would pay £15 for indecent images.
Social workers later caught the sex offender illegally hiding a mobile phone in the waistband of his trousers.
Fired-up thug attacked teen after Fury vs Usyk heavyweight bout
A man who got revved up and assaulted a 17-year-old after watching a heavyweight boxing match has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Austin Ironside, 24, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted assaulting the teenager when they passed each other in the street in the early hours of the morning.
It was stated that Ironside – who was with a group of males – kicked the teen in the head.
Jail for man found running £210,000 cannabis farm from Inverbervie bungalow
A man who was found running a £210,000 cannabis farm from an Inverbervie bungalow has been jailed for nearly two years.
Esmir Gjura, 30, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted tending to the large-scale drug farm within a house in the quiet coastal town.
When police raided the property, they found it had been converted into a cannabis farm with more than 260 plants spread across several rooms.
Gjura, an Albanian national, was found within and now faces deportation following his sentence.
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