A 48-year-old Inverness woman appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court on a charge of assault with a knife.
Josephine Glass made no plea, was committed for further examination and released on bail.
A Sheriff told a man suspected of preparing to commit a theft not to bother paying a £700 fine if he wanted to go to jail.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood was sentencing 37-year-old Neil Redmond of Esk Road, Inverness at the city’s Sheriff Court yesterday.
Redmond, who admitted a long list of previous convictions, had pleaded guilty to being in an area of the Heathmount Hotel on Kingmills Road without permission, inferring he was about to commit theft.
Fiscal depute Ross Carvel told the court that CCTV captured him in the hallway leading to guests’ rooms.
“A member of staff challenged him and pretended to be on the phone to police but Redmond made his way out of the hotel.”
Defence solicitor Marc Dickson said: “It would appear he had a drugs relapse. But now he has employment as a labourer at a local scrap yard and is enjoying it. It gives him a focus.”
Mr Dickson said Sheriff Fleetwood could jail his client due to his record but asked that he be given a chance to prove he could stay out of trouble.
The Sheriff said he would impose a fine instead, adding: “But I will impose the alternative now and fixed repayments at £25.
“So if you don’t want to pay the fine, don’t bother and then you can go to jail.”
If Redmond misses on instalment he will be arrested and jailed for 28 days.