Two men accused of setting a man on fire in the Western Isles are to face a jury trial.
An islander, named as John Gillies of Vatersay, known locally by his Gaelic name of Iain, was treated for severe injuries after an alleged attack in a house in Castlebay, Barra, in June 2014.
Mr Gillies was flown off Barra by an ambulance plane and taken to a central belt hospital, according to police at the time.
At Stornoway Sheriff Court yesterday afternoon, John Christie, 30, of St Michael’s Cottages, Castlebay, Barra, and Thomas Barber, 31, of Carmarthen, Wales, deny assaulting Mr Gillies.
Both men pleaded not guilty to a charge of spraying a flammable substance on Iain Gillies’ head and body, then igniting the substance which burnt him to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
Each man has lodged a notice of special defence of incrimination.
The case has been transferred to Lochmaddy Sheriff Court with a trial due to take place in September.
Sheriff David Sutherland allowed bail for each man to continue.
A Lewis teenager who embarked on vandalism sprees faces forking out over £1000 to repair the damage he caused.
Scott Montgomery, 19, admitted six charges involving smashing windows and damaging cars when he appeared at Stornoway Sheriff Court yesterday afternoon.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis.
Sheriff David Sutherland gave the youth of 36 Manor Drive, Stornoway, six months to pay for the damage which lawyer Angus Macdonald reckoned would be over £1,000.
The solicitor said a nightly 9pm to 6am curfew imposed by the sheriff would prevent the keen footballer playing for his team.
He suggested commencing the curfew at 10.30pm instead.
Sheriff Sutherland declined the request but said the football team could write to the court, assuring they would deliver Montgomery home by that time on specified fixture dates.
Montgomery admitted damaging a window at the Greenkeeper’s Cottage in the Lews Castle Grounds and pulling a wing mirror off a car at Bayhead on Friday 11 September.
The following weekend he damaged a vehicle on Francis Street and another on Lewis Street.
In October 2016 he damaged a door at the Woodlands Centre in the Lews Castle Grounds.
He kicked and damaged a window in the local SNP’s offices in Stornoway in December.
Procurator fiscal Karen Smith said the amount of cannabis found on Montgomery was worth £8.50.
A persistent Western Isles offender has been jailed over theft and forgery charges.
Elizabeth Ann Macneil stole two blank prescription forms from the accident and emergency department at Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway on 29 August 2014.
The following day she presented a forged prescription for 10 diazepam tablets at a Stornoway chemist’s shop.
The signature of an island GP had been falsified on the form.
The 26-year-old, formerly of Barra but now living in Tong, Lewis, also admitted breaching a community payback order imposed for struggling with a police officer in Castlebay in July 2011. At the time, she also hindered ambulance staff by lashing out with her arms and legs.
Last year her lawyer, Angus Macdonald, successfully won his client a chance to retain her freedom by urging Sheriff David Sutherland to show progress after a social work report concluded jail was the only solution.
The sheriff deferred sentence after being told Macneil would leave the island thus breaking contact with her associates who had severe addiction problems.
Yesterday (Fri) Sheriff Sutherland pointed out that he did not impose jail sentences “out of default.” He highlighted he had “considered everything here” before handing down a six month custody term.
Sentencing for traffic offences she had also admitted was deferred to a later date.
A Stornoway woman has been sentenced for preventing an ambulance from driving off.
Dorothy Macritchie of Murdoch Place, neighbouring the Stornoway hospital, also called 999 for a ambulance on three occasions over two days in March when there was no medical emergency.
Procurator fiscal Karen Smith told Stornoway Sheriff Court yesterday (FRI) the 69-year-old told Inverness control room staff she could not walk and needed to be taken to hospital.
However, she “clearly could walk” by going to the ambulance when it turned up at her home and spreading herself over the vehicle’s bonnet, preventing the on-duty paramedics from leaving, highlighted the fiscal.
Lawyer Angus Macdonald said his client had a drink problem.
Macritchie previously pleaded guilty to both charges.
She also admitted breaching bail conditions by refusing to give police officers a breath test to measure her alcohol level.
Sheriff David Sutherland imposed a two year community payback order which includes 120 hours of unpaid community service work.
The sheriff banned her from buying or drinking alcohol.
Macritchie was also ordered to pay £400 compensation to the Scottish Ambulance Service.