Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Danger dog Damon spared by sheriff after attacks on two police officers
A German Shepherd dog who attacked two police officers, leaving one scarred for life, has been saved from destruction.
The Alsatian called Damon injured a constable involved in a missing persons search in Peterhead town centre five years ago.
A jury at Forfar Sheriff Court heard how the same pet mauled Pc Daniel Wojtaczka during an incident outside its home in John Street, Arbroath, on July 12 2022.
Highland man who caused fatal drink-driving crash caught over the limit for third time
A man who killed a teenager in a drink-driving crash two decades ago has been caught over the limit on the same road for the third time.
Alexander MacDonald-Haig was more than double the legal limit when he crashed his car last month on the A82.
The 41-year-old left the scene before police officers arrived but was later traced and breathalysed, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
‘Peeping Tom’ electrician who secretly filmed women handed extended sentence
A perverted Aberdeen electrician who secretly filmed women in their homes for a decade has been locked up for almost three years.
James Denholm, 34, installed hidden cameras to watch his unsuspecting victims and recorded them undressing and using the toilet.
The depraved voyeur sneaked into one victim’s home undetected for five years, even bringing along a sex doll and dressing it in her clothing, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Jail for Inverness man who tried to climb in woman’s window as she slept
A man who tried to climb through a sleeping woman’s bedroom window has been jailed.
Scott Burns was pushed back out of the window by the woman, who had been woken by her barking dog.
The following day he was found in the home of a neighbour having pried off a plywood panel to gain entry, Inverness Sheriff Court heard.
Inverness murderer lobbed pool balls during tantrum that locked down prison
A murderer’s temper tantrum locked down part of Perth Prison, causing staff and inmates to take shelter from flying pool balls.
Alan Dewar, serving life for the killing of an Inverness teenager, flew into a rage after a family visit was cancelled.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how prisoners in the wing had to be locked in their cells for their own safety.
One guard had to throw himself to the ground to avoid being struck by a pool ball.
Drink-driving pensioner, 82, gets first conviction
A pensioner has received his first criminal conviction at the age of 82 after crashing his car on the way to a recycling centre after “a couple of cans”.
Anthony Symons was more than double the legal alcohol limit when he crashed on Skateraw Road in Newtonhill.
The boozy 82-year-old had been drinking at home when he decided to take a late-night trip to his local recycling centre.
Trio admit drug dealing after raid finds cocaine, heroin and cash-stuffed trainers
Three men have admitted drug dealing charges after a police raid on an Inverness house found cocaine, heroin and trainers stuffed with cash.
Mark Hiddleston, 54, Steven Lees, 44, and Corey Kerman, 26, were all found in bedrooms at the property after police forced entry in September 2020.
A search of the property found drugs, scales, small plastic bags, cash and a tick list, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
Serial thief ‘heading in right direction’ after court gives her chance to change
A serial north-east shoplifter challenged by a sheriff to turn her life around is now “heading in the right direction”.
Kelly Booth struck at businesses across Aberdeenshire and Moray as she toured the north-east stealing more than £2,000 of goods.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane previously 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 continued to steal.
Abuser jailed after campaign of violence and threats against women
A north-east man has been jailed after he admitted a “sustained” campaign of sexualised abuse against two women.
David Burnett, from Boddam, also shared intimate pictures in a misogynistic online chat, where members urged him to rape one of his victims, Peterhead Sheriff Court was told.
In another disturbing incident, the 46-year-old demanded his second victim cut herself on camera and “smirked” as she did.
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Man avoids prison after attacking antisocial neighbour with axe
A man who attacked his antisocial neighbour with an axe after the pair got into an argument has avoided a prison sentence.
Ryan Wilson, 27, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted fracturing the man’s skull with an axe.
Wilson’s solicitor told the court his client was 22 at the time and was being subjected to “daily” antisocial behaviour by his victim.
Jail for Liverpudlian pair found with stun gun in Fraserburgh
Two Liverpudlian men have been jailed after being found with a stun gun and drugs in Fraserburgh.
Carl Power, 22, and Ryan Legon, 27, were discovered inside a property after police called to carry out a welfare check on the homeowner.
When officers received no response, they forced entry and Power and Legon were found inside.
Ex-policeman made threat to kill Highland grandmother
An ex-policeman who said he would kill his neighbour’s mother has been found guilty of threatening behaviour.
Donald Bain targeted the pensioner as she worked in the garden of her daughter’s Inverness home – calling her a b**** and a w***e and leaving her “terrified”.
The behaviour was witnessed by the woman’s 22-year-old grandson, who said his grandmother was “shaken up” following the encounter in Birchwood Road on June 8 last year.
Ex-youth worker avoids jail after voyeurism and public indecency convictions
A former Inverness youth worker who secretly filmed a teenager as she was getting ready for bed has avoided jail.
Andrew Jessiman was also spotted performing a solo sex act in a room with the lights on and curtains open.
He was found guilty of voyeurism and public indecency following a trial at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Masked Fraserburgh hammer attacker jailed for 31 months
A Fraserburgh thug has been jailed after turning up at man’s house and attacking him with a hammer.
David Martin donned a mask before barging into his victim’s home and striking him over the head with the weapon.
Peterhead Sheriff Court was told the pair were involved in “something of a feud”.
Squatter damaged empty Inverness care home he had given as bail address
A squatter who gave an abandoned Inverness care home as his address in court papers went on to maliciously damage the building, a sheriff has been told.
Stephen McGarry was traced living at the closed Elmgrove Care Home by police responding to a concern call.
McGarry told the officers he was working as a security guard for the owners of the building, but this was a lie and he was subsequently charged with damaging items within the property.
Man kicked down door and attacked ex-partner
A man who kicked down his ex-partner’s door and repeatedly punched her on the head has been handed a prison sentence.
Cladiu Bizu, 29, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted violently assaulting the woman after he had arrived at her home in a drunken state.
Bizu then pummelled the woman with repeated punches to the head and only stopped because the couple’s child entered the room.
Pensioner who tried to assault female cops warned his behaviour ‘cannot continue’
A pensioner who attempted to punch two female police officers has been told his behaviour is “simply unacceptable for a man of his age”.
Robert Dunlop, 66, tried to assault the two officers when they arrived to break up a dispute at a house party he had attended in the Mastrick area of Aberdeen.
Despite the dispute having nothing to do with him, Dunlop went to assault one female officer and then another when she removed a drinking glass from his hand.
He went on to call both officers vile, derogatory names.
Man jailed for assaulting his own mother with golf clubs
A Fraserburgh man has been jailed after assaulting his own mother with a pair of golf clubs and a glass vase.
David Buchan, 26, who changed club halfway through the vicious assault, also repeatedly punched his mum on the body.
Peterhead Sheriff Court was told Buchan had a “difficult” relationship with his victim, who has since died from unrelated causes.
The attack happeed an address on Buchan Road, Fraserburgh, on July 28 2023.
‘Absent-minded’ drink-driver banned after he ‘forgot’ he was already disqualified
A drink-driver who was already banned from the roads has found himself back in the dock after he “forgot” he was disqualified and crashed his BMW.
Former commercial diver Kenneth Johnson appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted smashing through a fence and crashing into a field near Westhill in February of this year.
The 69-year-old had been banned only weeks before after he was found guilty of drink-driving.
Johnson claimed that he had forgotten that he couldn’t drive, so he took his car to a local shop.
Offender who asked police to take him into custody finally gets his wish
A man who turned up outside a police station and asked officers to arrest him finally got his wish when he tested their patience to the limit.
Andrew McGee, 25, confronted two police officers outside Tillydrone police station and offered to “hand himself in” due to an outstanding arrest warrant.
But the officers told him they were too busy with other matters and asked him to return the next day.
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Careless Mercedes driver caused crash that left man seriously injured
A careless driver has been found guilty of causing a head-on crash that left a man seriously injured.
Witnesses described hearing “screeching and braking” in the moments before Maciej Gorczewski’s Mercedes collided with a white BMW on the single track Essich Road.
One detailed how the car was “bouncing up and down” on the road surface as it approached them due to its speed.
Man convicted after failing to declare uncapped needle during police search
A man who failed to declare an uncapped needle in his pocket during a police search has been convicted of culpable and reckless conduct.
Jonathan Wylie was repeatedly asked if he had anything sharp or anything that could cause harm to him or others when officers searched him at his Easter Ross home.
But he failed to declare the uncapped needle in his trouser packet, which then scraped an officer’s fingers.
The policeman attended hospital following the incident in accordance with needle-stick procedure.
Former North Sea boss accused of racially abusing boy, 11, at kids football match
An offshore businessman is facing court accused of racially abusing an 11-year-old boy at a children’s football match in Aberdeen.
Colin Manderson – former chief executive of Buchan-based engineering firm Asco – is alleged to have branded the child a “dirty hacking black b******” after invading the pitch at Spain Park.
It is alleged the offence, a breach of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, was committed in May this year.
Man admits abusing former partner and giving her gummy sweet that made her feel ‘unwell’
An Aberdeen man has admitted verbally abusing his former partner and feeding her a gummy sweet that caused her to become “unwell”.
James Stitchell appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he was facing charges that he used derogatory terms towards the woman and acted aggressively towards her over a five-year period.
Stitchell, 46, also admitted two charges of assaulting a child by stepping on his private parts and throwing a cup at his head.
He also uttered demeaning remarks and made a homophobic slur towards the child, the court heard.
Wester Ross fisherman tied up after frightening outburst miles from shore
An enraged fisherman had to be tied up by his fearful crewmates after he had an angry outburst almost four miles from shore.
The fishing vessel Bon Ami was near Priest Island – six kilometres off the Wester Ross coast – when Isaac Williamson pulled a television from the galley wall and made threats to harm a crewmate.
That crewmate had to lock himself within the wheelhouse for his own safety, while Williamson’s wrists were cable-tied for the return journey to Ullapool.
Tragic fishing boat worker stabbed 13 times in Fraserburgh flat
A man who stabbed a fishing boat worker to death with a dagger during a violent row at a flat in Fraserburgh today pleaded guilty to culpable homicide.
Alfie Whelan stabbed Michael Jenkins 13 times on June 4 last year after a row over money spilled over into violence.
Whelan’s blood-soaked 24-year-old victim stumbled out onto the street screaming for help, but collapsed and never recovered from his injuries.
Criminal who vandalised Aberdeen solicitor’s office claimed he was opening his own law firm
A criminal who claimed he was planning to start his own law firm in Aberdeen has been jailed after covering his solicitor’s office in foul-mouthed graffiti.
Joseph Gannon daubed the George Mathers & Co office at Adelphi in slogans, including “f*** Mathers, phone Gannon” and “f*** Mathers, they give you slathers”.
The vile vandalism appalled office staff because Gannon, 35, also painted on a sign including the name of their late colleague Leslie Green.
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