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Weekend court roll – the museum conman and a £300,000 tax dodger

Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.

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Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.

Drink-driving dad crashed car with children in the back

An “anxious” dad was caught drink-driving with his children in the car after he crashed into a fence.

Ruaridh Mackenzie had been unable to sleep while his children stayed over for the first time in a while so instead stayed up drinking vodka before getting behind the wheel at 7am the next morning.

Ruaridh Mackenzie appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court. Image: DC Thomson/Facebook

After a concerned farmer reported the crash to police, officers found him unsteady on his feet, barefoot and stating he didn’t know who had been driving his grey Ford Mondeo.

Procurator fiscal Sharon Ralph told Elgin Sheriff Court the 35-year-old crashed on the unclassified Garrowood to Huntly road on April 30 last year.

Man had ‘most obscene’ images of children

A man who was caught with indecent images and videos of children, as well as a sick image of a woman and a dog, downloaded the material over a 10-year period.

Edward Nichol’s home was searched after police received intelligence about his activities.

Examination of various devices seized at the property uncovered the stash of indecent images and videos.

Nichol, of Duntulum Road, Inverness, appeared at the city’s sheriff court to admit charges of downloading and possessing the indecent images of children at properties in Ardersier, Leuchars and Inverness between August 2012 and January 7 2022.

Pub-goer left man unconscious with facial fracture

A pub-goer attacked a man for calling his girlfriend a “b****”, leaving him unconscious in a car park with a facial fracture.

Alistair Keates followed his victim following an exchange outside the Black Dog pub in Bridge of Don.

The Black Dog pub. Image: DC Thomson

The pair ended up grappling in the car park between the bar and Peony House takeaway before Keates threw his victim to the ground, knocking him out cold.

The 30-year-old then made off, leaving his rival lying in the car park with a fracture to his face as well as a number of lacerations which had to be glued closed.

Man challenged ex’s new partner to fight after social media spat

A drunken man turned up at his ex-partner’s house shouting, swearing and wanting to fight her new boyfriend following a social media spat.

Cameron Fraser made the “very poor decision” after drinking during the evening, a court was told.

The 20-year-old showed up outside the woman’s Aberdeen flat and when his ex came outside to try to diffuse the situation, Fraser said he wanted to fight.

Fiscal depute Tom Procter said Fraser and the woman had been in a relationship for five years, ending in May 2020.

Man threatened to stab partner’s family

A drunk man threatened his partner’s family, before throwing a knife at her.

Stephen Mackenzie woke from a drunken sleep and began to punch a door, before telling the woman he would stab her family members if they tried to come to the house.

Mackenzie, 36, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a charge of threatening of abusive behaviour in relation to the incident on June 12 of last year.

Fiscal depute Iain Logan said that the woman had come home to find Mackenzie drunk and had left him sleeping on the sofa.

Man caught with stolen loot

A man has been handed unpaid work after being caught with speakers and a PlayStation controller that were stolen from an Aberdeen flat.

Nico Esson, 26, was found with the stolen goods when police raided his home on Balnagask Circle.

The items had been stolen during a break-in at a flat at Morven Court in Aberdeen.

Fiscal depute Tom Procter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the flat had previously been broken into and was secured with a padlock.

Repeat offender jailed after spree of ‘chaos and violence’

A man is behind bars after a “chaotic and violent” crime spree spanning three years.

Jason Mullen’s crimes included assaults, resisting police officers, wilfully or recklessly damaging or destroying property and threatening behaviour.

Jason Mullen was jailed at Inverness Sheriff Court.

After hearing the details of 10 different charges, Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald told Mullen that he had inflicted “chaos and violence” on people.

Mullen, 21, appeared via videolink for the sentencing hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court.

Blind woman conned out of £9,500 by fraudster

An Inverness man conned a blind woman out of £9,500 by claiming he would carry out work on two crofts that he then never completed.

Daniel Kay admitted targeting the then 64-year-old Sutherland woman with his fraudulent scheme.

The 33-year-old was originally charged with inducing her to pay him £27,100.

But Kay, who has links to Easter Ross, pleaded guilty to obtaining the much-reduced amount instead.

Young biker sped past hospital and hit 100mph

A young biker hit speeds of 80mph outside a hospital during a police chase through Elgin.

Matthew Bowie hit the terrifying speed through a 30mph zone and even went airborne as he flew across a roundabout during a dramatic pursuit, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

Matthew Bowie on a bike, left, and outside Elgin Sheriff Court. Image: DC Thomson/ Facebook

The 21-year-old “panicked” when a police officer pulled up near his black Mercedes-Benz bike while responding to another call on July 4  2022.

Procurator fiscal Sharon Ralph told the court the officer came across a group of four motorbikes in Hay Street, Elgin.

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Serial sex attacker who began his crimes when he was just 13 is jailed

A rapist who began committing sex crimes when he was aged just 13 has been jailed for seven years.

Mark Newman was convicted of five charges – four unanimously – following a trial.

Newman, 63, formerly of Laurencekirk, was found guilty of raping a woman, assaulting a teenager with intent to rape her and three indecency offences involving two girls.

The offences happened between August 1972 and December 1987 and took place at a house in Ross-shire and addresses at Peterhead and Aberdeen.

One victim told the court: “I was terrified of him, terrified.”

Young girl suffered life-threatening injuries after three-car crash

A nine-year-old girl had to be airlifted to hospital after a crash caused by a dangerous driver left her fighting for her life.

The youngster suffered serious head injuries, a punctured lung and multiple fractures in the three-car crash after Kieran MacPherson lost control of his car.

Kieran MacPherson caused the three-car crash on the A941 between Craigellachie and Dufftown. Image: JasperImage/ Facebook

The 24-year-old’s Fiat Abarth struck another car after overtaking on a bend and sent that driver flying into the girl’s father’s Nissan Juke on the A941 between Dufftown and Craigellachie on February 23 2020.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told that doctors who treated the girl following the horrific collision estimated an 18-month recovery time.

Museum boss embezzled £19,000 from charity with fake invoices

The former boss of a “renowned” Highland museum embezzled almost £19,000 from the charity that runs it.

William Bound, also known as Bill Bound, issued fake invoices to Groam House Museum, which paid for fictitious work that was never carried out over a three-year period.

William Bound embezzled almost £19,000 from Groam House Museum. Images: Groam House Museum

But the dishonest 74-year-old – who was the charity’s chair and treasurer during the crime spree – was actually paying the money into several of his own bank accounts.

Bound was originally charged with taking £56,363.50 between November 2013 and October 2016 but later pled guilty to stealing the lesser sum of £18,922.50.

Man threatened to bomb police officer’s home and have others shot

A drunk man who police were escorting home has been jailed after he made threats to have them assassinated.

Jay Jay Kirton, 31, was reported to police after he was seen banging on the windows of a KFC restaurant in the early hours of December 3 last year.

Jay Jay Kirton made threats to bomb police officers’ homes and have them shot. Image: Police Scotland.

When officers arrived, they planned to take Kirton home but he soon turned on them and spat at one before making threats to cut another’s throat.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard Kirton then went on to make a threat to “bomb” a constable’s home and hire individuals to “shoot” two police officers.

Farmer who assaulted partner  spared punishment

An award-winning sheep farmer who assaulted his partner in an “absolutely out-of-character” fallout at an agricultural show has been admonished.

Graham Morrison grabbed his partner around her neck during the incident, which stemmed from drinking too much, not long after the conclusion of last year’s Keith Show.

Graham Morrison wound up in court after last year’s Keith Show. Image: DC Thomson

The 59-year-old farmer immediately admitted the drink-fuelled assault to police officers, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh said the assault happened in the early hours of August 7 last year.

Embezzling Morrisons worker  ordered to repay store

A former worker has been ordered to pay compensation to Morrisons supermarket after he was caught embezzling cigarettes and money.

David Stewart was working as a customer services assistant at Banchory’s branch when his bosses became aware of stock discrepancies totalling more than £22,000.

David Stewart leaving Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Image: DC Thomson.

At a previous hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, the 54-year-old admitted to embezzling both cigarettes and money totalling £760 from the store while working there between July 1 and July 27 last year.

Confusion arose at the hearing when fiscal depute Lydia Ross told the court the total value involved was £22,107 and that there was no recovery of the items of cash.

Tax dodger too ill for jail – so gets 300 hours of unpaid instead

An Aberdeen fish firm boss who “never got around” to paying almost £300,000 in taxes has avoided prison due to ill health.

Raymond Esslemont, 71, spent years deducting income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NIC) from employees at his firm Raysalmon, but did not pass the money on to HMRC.

Raymond Esslemont. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Esslemont, who is “all but bed-bound”, also failed to pay his own income tax and NIC, bringing the total figure evaded to £295,599.97.

The pensioner, of Margaret Place, Aberdeen, previously pled guilty to two charges of tax evasion and two charges of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of paying NICs.

Mum’s drug-driving cocaine reading was so high it couldn’t be measured

A woman caught driving after taking cocaine was so far over the limit her test results couldn’t be accurately measured by the machine.

Lucretia Donaghy had more than 1,000mcg of cocaine breakdown in one litre of blood, the legal limit being 50mcg.

The 32-year-old’s reading was so high it went beyond what the drug saliva machine could calibrate, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

The sheriff told her that if she had been 20 times the drink-drive limit she would be “playing a harp in heaven”.

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Dad caused public incident after firing replica handgun from window

An Aberdeen dad who fired a replica handgun from a bedroom window caused panic when people believed the weapon to be real.

Graeme Cooper, 50, wanted to show his teenage son how far his new BB gun could shoot and began repeatedly firing it out of his bedroom window at a street sign.

Dad Graeme Cooper said firing the replica handgun was a ‘stupid and reckless’ thing to do. Image: Facebook.

However, his foolhardy actions were observed by onlookers, who quickly alerted police as they feared for the safety of children nearby.

Cooper’s solicitor told Aberdeen Sheriff Court his client “accepts it was a stupid and reckless thing to do”.

Teen who taped disabled man to  scooter must surrender passport

A teen who taped a disabled man to his mobility scooter has avoided custody – but has been ordered to surrender his passport until he’s completed his unpaid work.

Callum Swaffield, along with Calvin Gallon, 23, targeted John Tweed, 58, when he got onto his scooter for some fresh air outside his home in Macduff.

Callum Swaffield. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

The pair threw a bed sheet over him and tightly wrapped brown parcel tape around the helpless man’s head and body, leaving him trapped.

The pair tried to spell the words “I am a paedo” by sticking pieces of brown tape onto the bed sheet and Gallon later told police that it was all “a bit of a laugh”.

Teen crashed into car at roundabout

A teenager has been disqualified from driving after he sped around a roundabout the wrong way and struck a car.

Kai Daniels, 18, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted driving his BMW dangerously and with no headlights on Aberdeen streets.

Kai Daniels has been disqualified from driving until he is formally sentenced. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson.

The court heard that he drove onto the wrong side of the road before attempting to negotiate a roundabout where he crashed into another car.

It was also stated that Daniels pleaded guilty in a separate court to driving without insurance.

Former Aberdeen restaurateur charged with murder of police officer

A former Aberdeen restaurateur has appeared in court charged with the murder of a police officer in England.

Piran Ditta Khan was extradited from Pakistan where he was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of PC Sharon Beshenivsky.

PC Sharon Beshenivsky was shot dead on November 18 2005. Images: West Yorkshire Police/Shutterstock

He’s accused of shooting dead the 38-year-old mum while she was on duty in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in 2005.

Khan was arrested abroad in 2020 during an operation involving the National Crime Agency and Pakistani police.

Man caught rummaging through ambulance

A man was caught “rummaging” through an unlocked ambulance by paramedics who had been called to help him.

Leon Ironside was found “semi-comatose” in a lift at Inverdon Court and ambulance crews were called to make sure he was alright.

Leon Ironside. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Paramedics treated the 37-year-old, but when they tried to help him back to his flat in the same building he refused and wandered off.

Unable to locate him again, the emergency crew returned to the ambulance – only to find Ironside inside it, raking through their equipment.

Man put bouncer in chokehold

A reveller punched an Aberdeen bouncer and put him in a chokehold after taking umbrage at the way his friend had been kicked out of the bar.

Daniel Wright had been part of a group drinking in Justice Mill in Aberdeen when his friend became too drunk and was thrown out.

Daniel Wright. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

Wright, 24, help escort his friend outside but took exception to the perceived heavy-handed approach the door staff took.

When he went back inside to tell his girlfriend he was going to take his friend home, Wright suddenly launched a violent attack on one of the bouncers.

Violent serial offender who called police ‘paedos’ faces jail

A repeat offender who attacked and insulted police officers while subject to no less than eight bail orders is facing jail.

Patrick Stewart has been warned he may now have “crossed the threshold” where his temporary remand in custody becomes a little more permanent after he admitted calling police officers “paedos” and assaulting one constable.

Patrick Stewart’s case called at Elgin Sheriff Court.

The 23-year-old appeared from custody at HMP Inverness for trial at Elgin Sheriff Court facing a string of charges but instead offered guilty pleas to just two – which were accepted by the Crown.

But since he’s already serving five community payback orders, including one for threatening to kill his partner and her granny, he’s been told his time at liberty may soon be up.

Man who had sex outside Union Square likely to be deported

A man who had sex with a woman on a city centre pavement while children and commuters walked by has been told it is likely he’ll be deported over the incident.

Bartlomiej Balwierz and co-accused Yandu Horne had sexual intercourse outside the busy Union Square shopping centre in full view of members of the public.

Bartlomiej Balwierz faces deportation from the UK after he admitted having sex in a public place. Image: DC Thomson.

The amorous couple were “unperturbed” by commuters as they “gyrated” on the ground in Market Street, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

Balwierz, 39, and Horne, 32, had been ejected from the mall moments before and strolled across the car park before sitting down on the pavement where they proceeded to have sex.

Paedophile exposed thanks to P&J article handed curfew

A “high-risk” paedophile whose lover only became aware of his past crimes when she read a Press and Journal article has been handed a curfew.

Troy Sutherland was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and jailed for 39 months in 2017 after blackmailing children to send him nude pictures.

Troy Sutherland was exposed in a P&J article in 2017. Image: DC Thomson

The 27-year-old was also banned from having contact with females under 16.

But in 2021, Sutherland began a relationship with a woman in Aberdeenshire who has a young daughter but didn’t disclose that he is a sex offender.

Thief who stole children’s cancer charity tin handed unpaid work

A heartless thief who stole a children’s cancer charity collection tin from a bakery has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

James Shewan was drunk when he walked into Maclean’s Highland Bakery in Forres and demanded free food.

James Shewan smiled leaving Elgin Sheriff Court. Image: DC Thomson

When that was denied he left – but not before sneakily swiping the collection tin from the counter on June 8 last year, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

The 40-year-old was caught shortly after when someone on the street spied the tin hanging out his back pocket.

Dog poisoner gets more time behind bars

A boxer serving time for poisoning a dog has had four months added to his sentence for having an illegally-modified mobile phone behind bars.

Robert Mullen, 26, from Aberdeen, was serving 13 months in top security Glenochil Prison, Clackmannanshire, when he was found with the device.

Robert Mullen was previously jailed at appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

He was serving time for pouring paint stripper through the letterbox of a Bridge of Don couple and inadvertently poisoned their dog.

Mullen flung the toxic liquid over and inside the Aberdeen home resulting in the family pet needing vet treatment after digesting the chemicals.

Woman jailed over £3,000 shoplifting spree

A woman who went on a shameless shoplifting spree that saw her steal more than £3,000 worth of goods has been jailed.

Kelly Anne Booth appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court facing a total of 27 charges after she stole thousands of pounds worth of food, alcohol and household items from supermarkets across the north-east.

Kelly Anne Booth leaving court. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson.

The 48-year-old also stole a £220 speaker from Currys in Garthdee, Aberdeen.

Her solicitor told the court there was “no getting away from the sheer number of offences”.

Fallout over Turkish politics sparked unprovoked and brutal attack

A kebab shop worker has been fired after he brutally attacked another man while on shift leaving his victim with a broken nose and teeth.

Mehmet Balci was at Best Kebab in Keith when he repeatedly punched his victim and then continued to kick and stamp on him as he lay unconscious on the ground.

Mehmet Balci leaving Elgin Sheriff Court. Image: DC Thomson

Other bystanders had to intervene to protect the unresponsive victim, whom Balci, 45, had fallen out with over their differing views on Turkish affairs, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

Fiscal depute Shay Treanor said Balci’s victim had been chatting with another member of staff at the Mid Street takeaway at around 4.30pm on February 10 last year when he crossed paths with Balci.