Weekend court roll – a bank swindler and an Oban rapist

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

Jail for ‘Hollywood’ con artist who fleeced her own family

A woman who teamed up with her mum to con family out of more than £35,000 in a fake Hollywood actress scam has been jailed for eight months.

Heather Dunlop, 39, told loved ones she had signed million-pound contracts and was mingling with A-listers such as Leonardo Di Caprio and Beyonce.

She also claimed she was being managed by US entertainment executive Irving Azoff.

Together with her Highland mum Ann Dunlop, from Beauly, she convinced relatives to hand over more than £35,000 to help her make the breakthrough.

Careless driver who was clocked at 93mph allowed to keep licence

A careless driver who was clocked doing 93mph on the A832 has been allowed to keep his licence.

Peter Fuller was spotted travelling eastbound at “excessive speed” in a 60mph limit section.

Police checked how fast he was going with a laser device and discovered he was 33mph over the speed limit.

The officers then reached speeds of 105mph as they attempted to catch up to his car.

Aberdeen TSB cashier embezzled £30,000 due to crippling gambling addiction

A former TSB cashier has narrowly avoided going to prison after he embezzled more than £30,000 from the high street bank.

Christopher Rowan, 40, had worked at the Aberdeen St Nicholas branch of TSB for more than seven years when he decided to funnel the cash from one of the bank’s ATMs to his own bank account.

It sparked a massive fraud investigation within the bank and Rowan was identified.

Upon being questioned by the investigators, Rowan admitted to taking the money to pay off a crippling gambling addiction.

Three to stand trial accused of torturing and killing Inverness dad Ross MacGillivray

Three people are to stand trial charged accused of murdering an Inverness dad – including the dead man’s wife.

Samantha Jane MacGillivray, 32, Craig Hayden, 29, and Leon Headey, 22, are accused of a fatal attack on Ross MacGillivray last November 11.

The alleged killing is said to have occurred at a property in St Ninian Drive in Inverness.

The murder charge includes claims the 36-year-old had his wrists and ankles bound, that he was stripped and had water poured over his head.

Exclusive: Aberdeen police officer appears in court accused of rape

A serving north-east police officer has been accused of raping a woman in Aberdeen.

Gary Forbes, 30, appeared in private at Aberdeen Sheriff Court facing a charge that he raped the 34-year-old at an address in Aberdeen on August 23 this year.

The charge claims that Forbes took part in sexual intercourse that was initially consented to by the woman, but that at some stage she then withdrew her consent.

It accuses Forbes of continuing to take part in sexual intercourse after the woman’s consent had been withdrawn and she wished him to stop.

Man appears in court accused of murdering Highland mum

A 53-year-old man has appeared in court accused of murdering a Highland mother-of-three.

Sandie Butler was found seriously injured following a disturbance on Glasgow’s St Mungo Avenue just before 1pm on Tuesday, October 29.

The 40-year-old passed away shortly after, with police launching a murder probe.

James McCrindle was arrested and charged in connection with her death and appeared at Glasgow Sherriff Court.

Highland man in court on Tain attempted murder charge

A man has appeared in court in Inverness charged with attempted murder and a weapons charge.

Daniel Sutherland, of Ross and Cromarty, appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court.

He made no plea to charges of assault to injury and attempted murder and having a bladed or sharply pointed article in a public place.

Sutherland, 33, was committed for further examination and remanded in custody until the next calling of the case, which will take place within eight days.

Video: 17-year-old who flipped car after Peterhead police chase gets ban and community service

A 17-year-old boy who raced dangerously through Peterhead causing one car to flip on its roof has been banned from driving and ordered to carry out community service.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pled guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance or a licence.

The Fraserburgh teen crashed the red Citroen DS3 into parked cars on Peterhead’s West Road – causing one to be flipped onto its roof.

The dramatic scenes – which were caught on another car’s dashcam – played out on June 25 this year at around 4.15pm when the streets were busy with pedestrians and homeward-bound school pupils.

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Former Moray soldier secretly filmed child’s private parts under table

A Moray sex offender has admitted placing a camera under a table so he could film a young girl’s underwear or genitals.

Former soldier James Milton, 35, who had been previously convicted of possessing indecent images of children in 2022 at a house in Kinloss, pleaded guilty to the offence at Inverness Sheriff Court.

The crime was said to have happened between October 1 2013 and April 30 2016.

Milton, of Castlehill Road, Fochabers, had sentence deferred until December 5 for a background report.

Peterhead man in the dock after £25,000 heroin seizure

A Peterhead man has appeared in court accused of being concerned in the supply of tens of thousands of pounds worth of heroin in Angus.

Daniel Napier, 35, appeared from custody in private at Forfar Sheriff Court.

Napier, of Queen Street in Peterhead, is accused of being concerned in the supply of Class A drug diamorphine on November 4 this year on the A90 in Angus near Gateside.

It is alleged Napier was on a bail order from Peterhead Sheriff Court at the time. Napier made no plea and was remanded in custody by Sheriff Derek Reekie.

Rapist who preyed on women and girls in Oban told to expect ‘very lengthy’ sentence

An Oban sex predator who preyed on women and girls for more than 30 years is today behind bars.

Former soldier Malcolm Sloss was found guilty of 10 charges – including three rapes and one sexual assault – following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

The now 71-year-old committed his crimes against two women and two girls in and around his hometown from the late 1980s to 2021.

Sloss – who latterly worked as a property developer as well as a farrier hoofing horses – was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.

Man jailed after he robbed friend of his methadone stocks over Christmas

A man who attacked his friend and robbed him of his methadone on Christmas Eve will now have to spend the festive period behind bars.

Kevin Herd punched and throttled his unsuspecting victim until he handed over his house keys – then stole his Christmas methadone supply.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told Herd, 42, did have a slight Christmas epiphany – and handed back half the methadone to his victim.

Herd’s solicitor, Laura Gracie, described the incident as a “matter of deep regret” for her client.

Moray paedophile vigilante cut brake cables of innocent man’s car

A Moray man who cut the brake cables of a car he incorrectly thought belonged to a paedophile was lucky he was not charged with attempted murder, a sheriff told him.

Callum Stewart, 25, was warned prison is on the cards as he admitted tampering with the innocent man’s Dacia Duster that was parked outside a property in Mosstodloch.

Sheriff Gary Aitken told him: “This is borderline attempted murder.

“I can think of few things more vindictive or potentially catastrophic than cutting the brake cables and hoses of a car.”

Aberdeen woman targeted by Welsh stalker

An Aberdeen woman who placed an online advert attracted the attention of a Welsh stalker, who travelled more than 500 miles to profess his love to her.

When his victim rebuffed his online advances, Jaikaren Singh, 25, warned that he might develop “a hatred for her” – and told the woman he was coming to visit.

Chillingly, Singh sent the woman a tracking pin so she could follow his progress as he travelled north from his home in Swansea.

Hours later, after he turned up at the woman’s workplace, he was arrested by police.

Police sergeant given absolute discharge for threatening behaviour

A police officer who entered a sleeping woman’s home uninvited and stared into her bedroom has been convicted of acting in a threatening or abusive manner – but the crime won’t go on his record.

Sergeant Iain Fraser was handed an absolute discharge after being found guilty after a trial at Peterhead Sheriff Court.

The officer had denied two charges of threatening and abusive behaviour relating to alleged incidents at a property in Pitmedden in 2022.

The 44-year-old policeman was found to have entered the woman’s home uninvited on May 25 and acted in a manner that would have caused her to suffer “fear or alarm”.

Killer branded ‘despicable’ as he is found guilty of Highland man’s murder

A man accused of killing a community champion in the Highlands has been found guilty of murder – while his girlfriend was acquitted.

Michael White, 61, died in mysterious circumstances in Kyle of Lochalsh in April 2023.

There had originally been claims it was suicide but detectives became suspicious when a post-mortem showed Michael’s body had fractured ribs and internal injuries.

He was a former hotelier who worked as a life coach and raised money for victims of natural disasters – helping thousands of people around the world with his campaigning.

Man in court accused over 25-hour siege incident

A man appeared in court today after police brought a 25-hour siege to an end.

Anthony Woodburn made no plea to a charge that he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner during the incident in Castleton, near Thurso, on Monday and Tuesday this week.

The streets surrounding Coronation Place were closed from 12.25pm on Monday and remained cordoned off until the incident was over, at around 5.45pm yesterday.

It is understood specialist negotiators and armed police were called to the scene.

Aberdeen mum hurled TV remote at son, 10, because he wanted to watch adult content

An Aberdeen mother who threw a TV remote at her child because he wanted to watch an adult channel left him permanently scarred.

The boy was aged between 10 and 11 at the time of the offence, which happened in 2013.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how the mum – who cannot be named for legal reasons – threw the Sky remote at the child, hitting him at the top of his nose between his eyebrows.

Fiscal depute Ann Mann said this resulted in the wound bleeding and left a small scar, adding: “The complainer was not taken for medical treatment at that time.

Highland man who tried to murder his mum jailed for 10 years

A man who tried to murder his elderly, wheelchair-bound mother in a drink-fuelled attack on New Year’s Day was jailed for 10 years today.

During the assault, Bruce Davis, 53, tried to strangle Thomasina McAskill, known as Chrissy, with her jumper in her own home.

After surviving the attack the 78-year-old said: “I thought he was going to kill me. He seemed hell-bent on it.”

A judge told Davis at the High Court in Edinburgh: “Your mother was an elderly woman who was wheelchair-bound. You inflicted serious injury on her.”

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Man guilty of throwing cat from Aberdeen balcony and endangering life of ex

A man has been found guilty of trying to throw a woman off the balcony of an Aberdeen flat.

Paul Reid, 41, also assaulted the woman at several addresses across the north-east, including by trying to throttle her and pushing her down a set of stairs.

Reid attempted to push the woman off a third-floor balcony and threatened to kill her, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

He was found guilty of pursuing the woman through a property as she tried to escape him, seizing her by the neck and throttling her to the point where she lost consciousness.

Prolific Aberdeen flasher admits sex assault inside city centre Post Office

A serial Aberdeen flasher has “worryingly” escalated his crimes to sexual assault after targeting a woman in a city centre post office.

Victor Rae, 53, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted touching his victim inside the branch at the St Nicholas Centre.

His solicitor Mike Monro – who pointed out Rae already has a number of previous convictions for exposing himself to women and girls – described his client as “on very thin ice”.

Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison branded Rae “a danger to the public” – and released him on bail.

Knife-wielding robber ran into arms of police after brave Aberdeen shopkeeper fought back

A knife-wielding robber fled into the arms of the police after a brave Aberdeen shopkeeper stood up to him – even as he threatened to stab her in a bid to get cash.

Balaclava-clad John Gallagher failed to get money in the raid on a shop in Aberdeen but snatched packets of cigarettes and was trying to flee when he was confronted by police officers.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that when veteran offender Gallagher entered the premises at the Premier Store on Urquhart Road the owner told him to remove the headgear.

Advocate depute David Dickson said: “In response, the accused produced a knife from his bag and pointed it at her and demanded ‘take all the money from the till and put it in the bag’.”

Man to stand trial after Inverurie dad died following alleged assault

A man is to stand trial charged with the killing of a “doting” dad-of-four at a Stonehaven industrial estate.

Rodney Shaw, 51, allegedly attacked David McGuinness, 30, on September 26 2023.

The culpable homicide charge states Mr McGuinness sustained a cardiac arrest and passed away.

The incident is said to have occurred at GPH Builders Merchant in Spurryhillock Industrial Estate in Stonehaven.

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