Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Serial domestic abuser warned he will end up in prison if he doesn’t change his ways
A man has been banned from approaching his ex-girlfriend for 10 years after he carried out a “terrifying” catalogue of domestic assaults on her.
Scott Thomson, 29, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted getting drunk and arguing with his then-partner before chasing her down a hotel hallway as she tried to escape.
Thomson’s solicitor told the court his client had “not intended” to cause her injury when he dragged the terrified woman back to the room by her hood, causing skin burns up her back and restricting her breathing.
Drunken Union Street thug jailed for racist assault on 78-year-old man
A man has been jailed for two years after a vile racist assault on a pensioner in the centre of Aberdeen.
Scott McClorey, 50, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted attacking a 78-year-old man out of the blue as he walked along on Union Street to do his shopping.
McClorey was heard to hurl racist abuse at the pensioner before repeatedly punching him to the face, causing his nose to bleed heavily and leaving him with facial lacerations.
The frightened pensioner tried to fight back and was finally able to get away from McClorey.
Men in court after police officer seriously hurt in A82 ‘stolen’ car chase
Two men have appeared in court after a Highland police chase left an officer seriously injured.
Iain Grant, 29, and Robert MacAllister, 42, are alleged to have stolen a silver Subaru Forester from Dingwall before crashing into a police vehicle, causing the patrol car to overturn and land on its roof.
A female officer was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries while her male colleague suffered minor injuries.
Lawmakers almost double Inverness child rapist’s sentence
An Inverness paedophile has had his jail sentence almost doubled after lawmakers overruled a judge’s view that his schoolgirl victim “enjoyed” the sexual experiences with him.
Lee Murray, 53, abused his role as a football coach to text a girl when she was 12 or 13 in 2019 – and then raped her when she was 15.
Lord Sandison jailed Murray for five years last September after a jury found him guilty of rape and three other sexual crimes.
Peterhead fish factory owner to pay fine after being unable to complete unpaid work
A Peterhead fishing boss has been told to pay almost £2,000 after being unable to complete unpaid work.
Gordon Grieve appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court where his solicitor explained why he could not complete the remaining 127 hours he was tasked with following guilty pleas to assault.
Defence agent Leonard Burkinshaw said the 53-year-old had been requested to paint tyres as part of his community payback order, but was unable to do so because he lived in a flat with no outside space.
Mr Burkinshaw also said Grieve has medical issues, which he has been waiting for assistance with.
Highland footballer assaulted woman at racecourse and claimed it was ‘a joke’
A Highland footballer has been fined for assaulting a woman on Ladies Day at Perth Racecourse.
Stephen Rennie, a defender for Highland League club Strathspey Thistle, told his victim: “It was just a joke.”
The 27-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and pled guilty to assaulting the woman on May 18 2023 by seizing her by the head and body.
Aberdeen council gardener given absolute discharge after flick knife found at home
An Aberdeen council gardener has been given a rare absolute discharge after admitting to having a flick knife in his home.
Engineers from EON Energy broke into Scott Farquhar’s flat after he failed to reply to requests from them to gain entry to check the safety of his electricity meter.
Once inside, the workers claimed they had discovered firearms and immediately contacted the police.
Former Peterhead drug dealer ‘bucking the trend’ by getting full time job
A former Peterhead drug dealer who is “bucking the trend” by getting himself a job has been fined £5,000 instead of doing his unpaid work order.
James Nicol was convicted of dealing cocaine and diamorphine between November 2023 and January 2024 at various addresses in the town.
He was given a community payback order but appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court this week to ask to have his outstanding hours wiped and for a fine to be instated instead.
Nicol was also in court to admit breaching an ASBO to stay away from his neighbour.
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Highland paedophile snared by undercover officer posing as a child online
A paedophile was snared by an undercover police officer posing as a child online, a court has heard.
Neil Ross contacted a profile in an online chat room – unaware that the “14-year-old” called “Sophie” was, in fact, a policeman.
After moving the conversation to Snapchat, Ross, 23, sent images of his genitals and asked to see under her pyjamas.
Peterhead businessman banned after cocaine drive on A90
A Peterhead businessman has been fined after admitting to driving while under the influence of cocaine on the A90.
Daniel Herald, whose address was given as St Andrew Street, appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to operating his car – a silver Land Rover Discovery – with 11 microgrammes of cocaine in his bloodstream.
The 36-year-old was stopped by police on the A90 Ellon to Peterhead road, near Boddam, on November 21 2021.
Aberdeenshire nursery workers deny assaulting ‘disruptive’ four-year-old boy
Two nursery workers accused of assaulting a four-year-old boy in their care have given evidence at their trial in Aberdeen.
Joseph Picker and Stacey Kerr are both accused of assaulting the child at a nursery in Aberdeenshire in 2021.
Police became involved after a manager reviewed CCTV footage from inside the nursery, which cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Young girl sexually assaulted while picking Christmas jumpers with mum in Inverness Tesco
A man who sexually assaulted a young girl in Tesco as she shopped for Christmas jumpers with her mum has appeared in court.
Cody Grassick groped the girl’s private parts over the top of her clothing in the Inshes branch of the supermarket, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
The girl, who was under 13 at the time, was very scared after the incident and pulled the 18-year-old’s hand away, fiscal depute Adelle Gray told Sheriff Gary Aitken.
Dingwall cocaine dealer caught by police after visiting bush stash
A drug dealer was caught after he visited bushes where cocaine worth up to £4,400 had been stashed.
Police saw Kyle Kirkham at the spot outside flats in Dingwall in April 2022.
When the area was searched officers found 35.21 grams of cocaine along with refillable bags and scales.
Man fined and barred from contacting wife following attacks in Crimond and Inverness
A man has been fined and barred from contacting his wife after assaulting her in locations including Crimond and Inverness.
Ryan Ciesielski, 43, was found guilty of three charges of attacking his partner over the course of a 12-year period following a trial at Peterhead Sheriff Court.
Giving evidence against him, Victoria Ciesielski described a number of domestic abuse incidents, the first of which happened following a wedding in Inverness in November 2012.
Tired Highland driver caused ‘life-changing’ injuries in horror car crash
A man and woman suffered “life-changing” injuries following a horror collision with a “tired” driver from the Highlands.
The couple were left with broken bones and lasting scars and had to undergo multiple surgeries.
Perth Sheriff Court heard they still feel pain and get “flashbacks,” eight months on from the two-car collision near Blairgowrie.
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Man in court over Northfield shop knifepoint robbery
A man has appeared in court in connection with a knifepoint robbery at an Aberdeen shop.
The Lintmill Shoppy in Northfield was targeted in September last year and police at the time said staff were threatened and money was stolen.
Shop owner Ramalingam Yogeswaran said his workers were left “terrified” by the incident, which took place at around 9.20pm on Wednesday, September 11.
Alness motorists targeted by man in the middle of the road
Motorists in Alness were targeted by a man who walked into the road before kicking or punching their vehicles, a court has heard.
Ian Grant brought cars to a halt on Obsdale Road on two occasions, then kicked the bonnet of one and punched the mirror of another.
When one of the drivers tried to get out of his car, Grant assaulted him, punching him on the head and body.
Woman grabbed rolling pin to defend herself from bullying Inverness domestic abuser
A bullying Inverness domestic abuser’s anger worried a woman so much that she grabbed a rolling pin and told him she would use it to defend herself if needed.
Martin Shaw also displayed aggression to a second partner, losing his temper when she cooked for him, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
When the second woman ended the relationship he also brandished a pool cue rest at her daughter as she tried to return his belongings.
Elgin chef banned from the roads after ‘poorly-judged’ motorbike move on A95
A former chef from Elgin has been banned from the roads after crashing his motorbike into a car.
Nickolas Johnston had been riding on the A95 near a blind summit on June 5 last year when the crash happened.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke told Elgin Sheriff Court said the car driver reported “significant damage” to her red Mini and described Johnston’s actions as “intentional”.
“At this time the weather conditions and visibility was good,” Ms Poke added.
Serial Inverness domestic abuser attacked pregnant partners
A violent serial domestic abuser attacked two former partners when they were pregnant and threatened to inject heroin into a third woman, a court has heard.
Harrowing details of Greg Stewart’s 11 years of abuse were read out in Inverness Sheriff Court and he was warned it was “highly likely” that he would be jailed.
The court was told the 31-year-old assaulted his partner just weeks before she gave birth.
‘Suspicious’ shopper injured Inverness B&M store worker with scissors
A man is in jail after a shop worker was assaulted with a pair of scissors.
Scott Miller had been seen acting suspiciously in the B&M Bargains store on Telford Road.
But when a worker tried to stop him leaving, he said he had a weapon, before injuring the man’s hand with a pair of scissors.
Fort Augustus MS sufferer’s vile threats to estranged wife
A multiple sclerosis sufferer who sent hundreds of offensive and menacing messages to his estranged wife after she stopped caring for him has escaped a jail sentence.
Jonathon Clay was remanded in custody over Christmas after Inverness Sheriff Court was told of the vile nature of the communications over a three-month period.
Clay, 44, of Abertarff Place, Fort Augustus, ignored court orders not to contact his wife after he was first charged with sending her indecent, obscene or menacing messages between August 10 and August 12 this year.
He told police on being charged: “They were just words. I went a bit far.”