Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and these are the stories that have captured the attention of our readers.
The tipper truck drink driver
On Monday, we reported on a drink-driver with a difference.
Matthew Hill was double the drink-drive limit when he went for a joyride on a tipper truck.
Video footage from the night shows the final moments of his outrageous conduct.
Sofa droppers sentenced
When Edita Butkeviciute stepped outside her work to take a phonecall, little did she realise her life would change forever.
On the roof above her Barrie Law, 27, and Lee Morrison, 33, were about to drop a three-piece sofa to the ground – and onto her.
The single punch that had catastrophic effects
On Monday, Callum Wright was jailed at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for throwing a single punch at grandfather Michael Middler.
The court was told assault happened during an altercation outside the Burnett Arms Hotel in Kemnay left the grandad-of-four with a catastrophic brain injury.
‘I’m a new kind of monster’
On Tuesday, a sinister letter from a notorious serial rapist landed him back in court.
Edward Moir, 30, was jailed for seven years in 2014 after attacking three vulnerable women in Macduff and Elgin and “blighting their lives”.
Serial drink driving binman had child in the car
One of the most shocking examples of drink driving called at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Tuesday, when binman Michal Orlowski admitted being five times the limit – with a child in the back seat.
Horrendous Union Street glass assault
Our reporter needed a strong stomach when hearing details of a bottle attack on Union Street.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told how blood spurted from the victim after a drunken 16-year-old smashed a glass bottle over her head.
Domestic abuser discovers he’s to be a father…live in court
Of all the ways to discover you’re to become a parent, learning the news in the dock is one of the most unusual.
A man who subjected his partner to a catalogue of horrific abuse discovered he was to be a dad during the court hearing.
John Torrie, 31, was appearing on video link at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing having pled guilty to a catalogue of abuse against his former partner.
Nightmare neighbour’s chainsaw challenge
Former oil industry worker Tony Newman had already gotten into trouble by the police for playing his music too loud, so you’d think he’d have a better understanding of the laws.
The 53-year-old had bragged to his niece that he could rev the chainsaw in the street and his neighbours would not be able to complain because it was before 10pm.
On Wednesday, we reported on another sting from online paedophile hunters.
Their target was 59-year-old Michael Cuthill, who contacted what appeared to be a 13-year-old girl on dating app Badoo and sent sickening sexual messages discussing having sex.
Drink driver steals ambulance
After the tipper truck drink driver case, you might think that was the most unusual drink driving case of the week – but you’d be wrong.
On Thursday we reported the case of Graham Ellis, who stole an ambulance and led police on a 40-mile pursuit across the north-east.
The extraordinary story emerged after Ellis had been acquitted after a trial of assaulting his partner at an address on Wellpark, Kemnay. The jury found that charge not proven but he admitted stealing the ambulance that had been called to treat her.
Finally, on Friday, a bizarre case of stalking came before the courts.
Emma Johnston’s campaign of fear lasted for more than a year and involved her contacting assisted suicide clinic Dignitas to report that her victim needed end-of-life care.
She also made contact with several funeral directors, claiming her victims were dead so that they’d get phone calls about their own funerals.