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Weekend court roll – A high-rise killer and a missing stalker

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.

Jail for Aberdeen man who robbed nine-year-old boy of e-scooter

A man has been jailed after he stole an electric scooter from a nine-year-old boy in Aberdeen.

Peter Garland, 32, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted grabbing the scooter from the child at the Mastrick shopping precinct.

Peter Garland stole an electric scooter from a child. Image: Facebook.

Garland asked the boy if he could have a “shot” of his e-scooter – and when the child declined he pushed him off of it and rode away.

The boy’s tenacious mum found CCTV of the robbery and then shared it on Facebook to obtain Garland’s identity, the court was told.

Diageo fined £537,000 after Elgin distillery worker suffers horror burns

A whisky distillery worker suffered burns to 30% of his body after being scalded by boiling liquid in a horror workplace accident.

Michael Thomson was working at Glenlossie Distillery near Elgin when an incorrectly fitted valve burst off, causing 10,000 litres of 104°C hot pot ale to engulf him.

Glenlossie Distillery, near Elgin.

Mr Thomson spent two weeks in intensive care and a period in an induced coma following the industrial accident on March 24 2021.

Now the distillery’s owner, international drink giant Diageo, has been fined more than half a million pounds at Inverness Sheriff Court after it admitted breaching of health and safety laws.

Man locked up for six years after admitting Fraserburgh dagger death

A drug dealer who took a man’s life by stabbing him 13 times with a dagger during a violent row in Fraserburgh has been locked up for six years.

Alfie Whelan, 21, assaulted Michael Jenkins, 24, at the assailant’s Broch flat on June 4 last year.

Michael Jenkins died on Watermill Road, Fraserburgh. Images: Facebook/DC Thomson

The High Court heard how Mr Jenkins, a fishing boat worker, stumbled out of the property into the street covered in blood and screamed for help from passersby.

However, he collapsed and succumbed to his injuries.

Man who murdered Highlands community champion launches appeal bid from his jail cell

The son of a community champion murdered in the Highlands has criticised his killer’s appeal bid.

Michael Joyce was last month found guilty of the brutal murder of former nurse Michael White in Kyle of Lochalsh in April 2023.

Michael Joyce was found guilty of murder.

The 33-year-old had tried to make it look like Michael, 61, had taken his own life – but his callous lies were exposed when a postmortem showed severe injuries on Michael’s body and detectives began a murder probe.

A judge at Edinburgh High Court told Joyce he must serve at least 16 years before being considered for parole.

Insch man avoids jail after ignoring ASBO banning him from drinking in public

A man breached an ASBO banning him from being drunk and disorderly in Aberdeenshire when he was caught carrying a knife in Insch.

Christopher Ettles, 38, was given the Anti-Social Behaviour Order in 2021 at Banff Sheriff Court.

Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Ettles admitted breaching the order by going into Insch’s Commercial Hotel when drunk and then acting in an alarming manner on July 5 last year.

Ettles also admitted then going to the nearby Co-op, where he tried to get someone else to get alcohol for him before buying some biscuits and leaving.

White footprints led police to Banff firestarter

A man who attempted to start a fire outside the home of a Banff couple was caught after police followed a set of white footprints on the ground.

Damian Kucharski, 41, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted getting drunk and initially setting his sofa ablaze, which spread to other parts of his property.

As police were putting out the fire at his flat, Kucharski walked across town and started a second fire in a wheelie bin outside a couple’s home.

Police initially treated Kucharski as a victim until they received reports that he had been shouting and raving to a local man that he was going to burn his house down.

Man fined over attack on former Aberdeen player during pub brawl

A former Aberdeen player was left bloodied after being punched during a pub fight.

Former Scotland international Kevin McNaughton was injured in the attack at the Club Bar in Dundee.

William Buchanan outside Dundee Sheriff Court.

William Buchanan, 38, admitted assaulting Mr McNaughton during the argument in the Union Street pub.

The city’s sheriff court was told how players and management at junior sides Dundee North End and Downfield had been at a testimonial event for goalkeeper Neal Ferrie at Duck Slattery’s on South Ward Road.

Serial siege man jailed again after latest Highland police stand-off

Police from the Highlands, Aberdeen and the Isle of Skye were involved in a three-hour siege in Easter Ross after a “Jekyll and Hyde character” barricaded himself into a house and set several fires.

A total of 18 police officers, five specialists, an ambulance and three Scottish Fire and Rescue Service units were involved in the stand-off at John McDonald’s mum’s home in Parkland Place, Balintore, on the night of August 19 this year.

John McDonald, left, was jailed following the siege in Parkland Place, Balintore.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that McDonald, 45, has several previous convictions for similar offences going back five years where he would barricade himself in Tain and Balintore properties and start fires.

John McDonald – who has previously been tased by police during a similar incident in Balintore – appeared by video link at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted a charge of threatening behaviour.

Highland touring park owner threw table at partner during row

The boss of a Highland touring park has admitted assault after throwing a table at his partner in the bar of the business they owned together.

Timothy Reed’s victim called 999 after the incident, which was caught on CCTV.

His solicitor told the court Reed had been “working round the clock” while his partner went “on various holidays” leading to the argument.

Reed, 62, appeared at Tain Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of domestic assault in relation to the incident at the Halladale Inn on August 20.

Man on attempted murder charge after Alness shop stabbing

A 22-year-old has appeared in court on an attempted murder charge after a man was allegedly stabbed in the neck at an Alness corner shop.

Anthony Brogan, of Conon Bridge, is accused of, while acting with others meantime unknown, to have struck the man on the neck with a knife or similar bladed instrument to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life.

He made no plea when he appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court to face the charge, alleged to have taken place in the Morrison’s Daily store in Coulhill Road, Alness, on Sunday, December 15 this year.

He was represented by Inverness solicitor David Patterson who confirmed that his client had been released on bail.

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Dangerous Aberdeen paedophile jailed AGAIN after he was found with toddler murder video

An infamous serial paedophile who was due to be released from prison has been jailed for a further year and a half after he was found with sick videos showing the murder of a toddler.

Jordan Gall, 29, was brought from prison to appear at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where he was sentenced over 11 additional charges, including having indecent images of children and breaching his sex offender’s order.

Jordan Gall was sentenced to a further jail term. Image: DC Thomson

Gall – who has frequently appeared in court in connection with possessing indecent images of children – had more than 93 hours of illegal videos on his phone.

It was stated that some of the material found on Gall’s phone depicted the rape and abuse of newborn babies and toddlers, as well as “more extreme” material.

Killer who tortured friend before Aberdeen high-rise plunge jailed for eight years

A killer who abducted and tortured his friend who later plunged to his death from a 12th-storey Aberdeen flat has been jailed for eight years.

Lee Smith, 37, was locked up on Wednesday for taking the life of Jamie Forbes, also 37.

Lee Smith was locked up for eight years.

The High Court in Edinburgh was told Smith held Mr Forbes against his will at the offender’s flat in Elphinstone Court on January 14 and January 15 2024.

Smith repeatedly struck his victim with a hammer and punched and kicked him while Mr Forbes was captive.

Highland rapist who preyed on five different women behind bars

A Highland serial sex attacker who put five women through horror ordeals has been jailed for a minimum 10 years – but warned his release “is a long way off”.

Derek MacKay, 38, had earlier been convicted of 25 charges including the rape of four of the victims.

Derek MacKay was convicted after a trial at the High Court in Inverness.

A judge hailed the “bravery” of the women for reporting how they had suffered after escaping MacKay’s clutches.

The crimes occurred between 2005 and 2020 in the Highlands, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

Construction firm fined £860,000 after Tain man’s windfarm death

The principal contractor of a Shetland windfarm has been fined £860,000 over the tragic death of a 23-year-old Highland man.

Liam MacDonald, from Tain, died at the Viking construction site on 5 June 2022 while working for BAM Nuttall.

Liam MacDonald, from Tain, died in the workplace accident.

He was killed when the bale arm of a skip crushed him while he was cleaning concrete off the inside.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court BAM Nuttall was fined £800,000, plus £60,000 victim surcharge, reduced from £1.2 million for the timing of the company’s plea.

Turriff child sex predator back in court after targeting 14-year-old girl

A convicted sex offender who was once branded a “menace” to teenage girls has appeared in court again after he sent naked images of himself to a 14-year-old.

Stewart Barclay was 21 when he asked the child to be his girlfriend and began to send her crude messages, naked photographs and a short video of him pleasuring himself.

Stewart Barclay, Turriff man who sent nude images to a child.
Stewart Barclay. Image: DC Thomson

Fiscal depute Alison Wylie told Inverness Sheriff Court that the girl continually told Barclay that she did not want to see material like that and it was “grossing her out.”

Barclay admitted coercing the girl into looking at sexual images and communicating indecently with her between June and December 2022 in various locations, including Turriff, a house in Elgin and a McDonald’s restaurant.

Aberdeen stalker who absconded from prison to go drinking won’t be punished

The victim of a terrifying stalker who absconded from prison to go boozing in Aberdeen has hit out at a sheriff’s decision not to punish him.

Scott Emslie, who was jailed earlier this year for the “sinister” and relentless torment of a woman he had briefly dated, had been granted day release from his open prison to attend an appointment with social workers.

Convicted stalker Scott Emslie breached prison rules to go drinking in Aberdeen.

The 31-year-old former offshore worker travelled to the Aberdeen for the meeting but instead of returning to Tayside as promised he joined a family member “for a couple of drinks”.

Emslie’s victim, Catherine Tiphanie, discovered her stalker had gone missing when police officers turned up at her door on Friday night to warn her.

Former Huntly squaddie subjected partner to five years of violence and abuse

A former soldier who subjected his partner to a shocking five-year catalogue of domestic abuse has been ordered to stay away from her.

Mark Rigby appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted frequent drunken violent outbursts and verbal assaults on the woman – even letting force a volley of verbal put-downs on the day of her father’s funeral.

Mark Rigby admitted a shocking catalogue of physical and verbal abuse against his former partner. Image: Facebook.

It was stated that the 50-year-old throttled the woman on a number of occasions and verbally abused her while she worked in a Huntly bar, with Rigby became progressively drunk and belligerent.

Rigby, who represented himself in court, said he wondered if his time in the armed forces may have contributed to his abusive behaviour.

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Aberdeen painter blames bad Thai cocaine on murder threats to ex-partner

An Aberdeen man on holiday in Thailand has claimed bad cocaine made him tell a woman he’d briefly dated she was “woke” before threatening to kill her.

John Millar, 40, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted sending his ex more than 150 abusive voice messages, which included racism and murder threats.

John Millar admitted sending a woman he’d dated a succession of vile, racist and frightening messages. Image: DC Thomson.

It was stated that Millar – a painter and decorator – made various racist slurs against Muslims before telling the woman he would “cave their skulls in”.

He then turned on the woman, who he’d only dated for a few months, using offensive homophobic language, calling her a “lesbian” and “woke” before threatening to kill her if she continued to ignore his messages.

Victims’ anger as foster carer who sexually and physically abused children given rare sentence

A twisted foster carer who abused five children in his care has been given a rare type of sentence due to the unique circumstances of the case.

William Morrice sexually, physically and mentally abused the children aged four to 15 from the 1970s to 2003.

William Morrice, 81, was found to have abused children in his care following a hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

The 81-year-old’s late wife Sandra was an accomplice in some of the offending, which took place at the couple’s homes in Bucksburn and Bridge of Don.

Morrice tied a four-year-old girl to a bed and performed sex acts on another when she was just five.

Inverness hotel handbag thief unmasked after CCTV posted on Facebook

A thief who helped himself to a hotel receptionist’s handbag found himself in the dock after his crime was caught on camera.

Juan Collar was seen on CCTV as he stole the bag from behind the reception desk of the Columba Hotel on Ness Walk on December 11.

Thief Juan Collar was captured on CCTV

Two days later he also targeted staff at Johnny Foxes and Lucky Bowl in the city – stealing mobile phones in incidents that were also filmed by security systems.

Collar, 49, a Spanish national who had been staying in an Inverness guest house at the time of his crimes, appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit three counts of theft.

Fort Augustus MS sufferer locked up for Christmas after sending threats to estranged wife

A multiple sclerosis sufferer who sent hundreds of offensive and menacing messages to his estranged wife after she stopped caring for him will spend Christmas behind bars.

Sheriff Gary Aitken decided to revoke 44-year-old Jonathon Clay’s bail and remand him in custody until January 30 after hearing about the vile nature of the communications over a three-month period.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Clay, of Abertarff Place, Fort Augustus, ignored court orders not to contact his wife after he was first charged with sending her indecent, obscene or menacing messages between August 10 and August 12 this year.

He told police on being charged: “They were just words. I went a bit far.”

Inverness domestic abuser locked up and branded ‘danger to women’

An Inverness man who savagely attacked his partner and tried to throttle her has been jailed for 37 months and branded “a danger to women”.

It is the second time in the space of weeks that William MacFarlane has been jailed, after he was sentenced to 40 months behind bars on November 4 for kicking the same woman’s head “like a football”.

MacFarlane, 25, previously admitted a single charge of assault to injury and danger of life – which took place on June 20 2023 – at Inverness Sheriff Court and re-appeared before Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald for sentence.

Fiscal depute Susan Love told the court that it was around 8pm when the pair began to argue.

Man took advantage of drunk young woman and raped her in Aberdeen flat

A vile rapist who pretended to be a “good Samaritan” in order to lure a drunk girl back to his Aberdeen home has been jailed for five years.

Diego Valdivieso, 30, offered the young woman his bed at his home in Aberdeen’s Rosemount area on October 9 2022 before taking advantage of her.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard on Friday how Valdivieso found the young woman in the city’s Union Street intoxicated and confused about where she was.

However, upon getting to the property, the accused sexually assaulted her while she was asleep and unable to provide or withhold consent.

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