A man has finally been sentenced for assaulting his partner and driving offences – 15 years after failing to turn up to court.
Donewell Phiri appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in 2007 when he admitted three charges.
But the now 47-year-old got his dates mixed up and failed to appear for his sentencing hearing.
A warrant was granted for his apprehension, but Phiri – and seemingly everyone else – forgot all about the case, until now.
Phiri has now returned to the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to learn his fate.
‘This is not justice moving slowly’
Defence agent Alex Burn said: “This is a warrant from 15 years ago – so justice really does go slow.
“Sentence was deferred some 15 years ago. He missed the sentencing diet.”
Mr Burn said, when Phiri realised, he emailed his then solicitor to ask what was happening, but “nobody got in touch with him”.
He added: “I suppose this matter was hidden in the long grass and everybody forgot about it.
“He moved on with his life and thought nothing of it.
“And here we are, 15 years on, and he’s still to be sentenced.”
Phiri, whose address was given in court papers as William Street, Hamilton, admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance, and to assaulting his partner to her injury.
During that offence, at an address in Aberdeen on December 20 2007, Phiri attempted to prise the woman’s fingers from her phone, pushed, pulled, grabbed and restrained her, all to her injury.
‘Obviously been of good behaviour, you’ve only just been apprehended’
Mr Burn said the struggle came about as the woman attempted to contact her drug dealer, which Phiri did not want her to do.
The solicitor said his client had “truly turned a corner” since the offences and had moved on from that relationship and had been of good behaviour for the last 15 years.
Mr Burn said Phiri was the “author of his own misfortune” and was at fault for not making further enquiries about the case earlier.
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Phiri: “This is not justice moving slowly because of any problem with the courts. This is slow because of your failure to appear.
“Since these offences were committed you have turned your life around and have a completely new life in a stable family home.
“You have obviously been of good behaviour because you have only just been apprehended on the warrant.”
She handed Phiri a £300 fine and six penalty points.
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