Thursday courts round-up – a badger baiter and the Airbnb guest from hell

By The crime and courts team

November 4 2021, 6:31 pm

Good evening – here are the stories that caught the attention of our reporters today.

Drink-driver crashed en route to confront boyfriend

A carer crashed while almost triple the alcohol limit – while driving to confront her boyfriend she believed was cheating.

Grace Reid had been at a party when there was a suggestion her partner had been unfaithful.

Despite having been drinking, the 20-year-old got behind the wheel to go and confront him.

But before she could reach him, Reid crashed and when police arrived at the scene they found her almost three times the legal alcohol limit.

Man ‘humiliated’ female cop

A drunk lout has admitted “humiliating” a female police officer by simulating a sex act and calling her “sexy” during his arrest.

Jamie Hutton, 28, was stopped by police for behaving in a drunken and abusive manner towards members of the public – but soon turned his attention to the female constable as she and her fellow officers tried to arrest him.

Jamie Hutton was sentenced at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

He started to act out a series of sexual actions and used innuendoes towards the officer including telling her she should “marry him”.

It culminated in Hutton simulating a sex act in front of her while he was in custody.

Man’s dog seriously injured badger baiting

A man who showed a “disgusting lack of care” after his dog was seriously injured while badger baiting has been spared jail but banned from owning the animals for 10 years.

Liam Taylor’s male Bull Lurcher, called Brock, had his nostril partly ripped off, lost teeth and suffered facial and paw injuries during the illegal and cruel hunt.

Liam Taylor leaving Banff Sheriff Court where he was sentenced for animal cruelty crimes against dog Brock.

The 32-year-old was caught after graphics showing the dog’s injuries, as well as “trophy photos” of him hunting using the dog, were ordered online and the concerned business owner reported the suspected abuse.

Officers from the Scottish SPCA animal welfare charity visited Taylor’s home in Deyhill, Macduff, and found Brock suffering from injuries consistent with “pig digging” – the term often used for badger baiting.

Airbnb guest from hell

The owner of an Aberdeenshire Airbnb property underwent a terrifying ordeal when a rowdy guest at a cocaine-fuelled party pulled a knife on her.

Scott Banks was part of a group of five people who had rented the croft near Gardenstown and had been asked to leave when their rowdy antics became too much for the female owner.

Scott Banks brandished a knife at an Airbnb owner.

She turned up at the door at midnight to tell them to pack their stuff and go but instead was met with a barrage of abuse and threats.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told that an argument broke out and Banks pulled a knife.

Swimming teacher had cocaine

A swimming teacher has been banned from driving after she was found behind the wheel while under the influence of cocaine.

Mum-of-two Gemma Park, 35, was stopped by police after they received an anonymous tip-off from the public that she was driving around the Cove area of Aberdeen while intoxicated.

Park, who was recently convicted of drink-driving, immediately admitted being in possession of cocaine when police stopped her car on Loirston Road, Cove on November 6 last year.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told she had taken the cocaine to “cope” with things that were happening in her life at that time.