Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Inverurie man used Vinted to stalk women
Two women have spoken of their horror after they discovered that a masked man who was stalking them was actually someone they went to school with.
Sean Miller became obsessed with two females he remembered from Inverurie Academy and decided to stalk them.
He even turned up outside their homes at 3am hooded and dressed in black.
Man accused of Kirkwall airport bomb threat also facing child sex charges
A 20-year-old man has appeared in court accused of child sex offences as well as making a bogus bomb threat about a Loganair flight.
Ross Buchan allegedly made phone calls from his Dundee flat claiming that an explosive device was on board a flight between Glasgow and Kirkwall on January 4.
Several flights were delayed and Buchan, of Pitalpin Court, was arrested to appear at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday.
Exclusive video: Careless holidaymaker’s A9 smash caught on dashcam
An American tourist whose “spectacular piece of inattention” caused a three-vehicle smash on the A9 has been banned from the roads for a year.
Christopher Adams turned his hire car into the path of an oncoming van at the Ralia junction, causing it to swerve into the opposite lane and into the path of another car.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told the resulting collision left four people injured, one critically.
Man in court after police raid £200,000 cannabis farm in Ellon
A man has appeared in court after a police raid in Ellon uncovered more than 20 dozen cannabis plants worth £200,000.
Hung Nguyen was arrested and charged following the discovery at an undisclosed address in the town last week.
A haul of 245 plants was seized from the illegal cultivation, which came to officers’ attention as they investigated a report of “suspicious activity”.
Violent Aberdeen mugger left imprint of his shoe on victim’s face
A man has been jailed after admitting kicking another man during a mugging leaving him with a broken hand and a shoe-shaped bruise on his face.
Jamie Devine appeared from custody at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to be sentenced for the assault, which took place last year.
The 44-year-old is currently serving a prison sentence for another matter.
Woman who touched Inverness shop workers on buttocks placed on sex offenders register
A woman who touched two male shop workers on the buttocks has been placed on the sex offenders register.
Gail Stewart targeted two victims in an Inverness retail store – touching each on the bottom as they tried to serve her.
After being asked to leave the store and police arrived, Stewart struggled with officers as they tried to detain her.
Water leak uncovers £80,000 cannabis farm above Aberdeen kebab shop
An Aberdeen takeaway boss discovered an £81,000 cannabis farm in a flat above his businesses when water started leaking through his roof, a court has been told.
The businessman’s suspicions were further raised when he knocked on the upstairs flat. The occupant, Stefan Zykaj, answered the door before slamming it in his face and jumping out a window.
Zykaj, 44, sprinted into Dee Street but was soon caught by the same neighbour, who had jumped in his car and gave chase.
Aberdeen man caught with cannabis vapes and edibles worth nearly £170,000
A man found with nearly £170,000 worth of illegal vapes and cannabis edibles in his basement has avoided a prison sentence.
Reece Duncan, 31, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis in various forms.
A mobile phone was also found by police that had messages advertising the sale of both cannabis and vapes.
‘Inexplicable failure’ led to soldier’s death at RAF Tain, fatal accident inquiry finds
A soldier was killed during a live fire training exercise in the Highlands after his gun suddenly discharged, a sheriff has ruled.
Lance Corporal Joe Spencer, of 3rd Battalion The Rifles, died at RAF Tain during a sniper course.
He joined the Army in 2011 and had completed a tour of Afghanistan as well as exercises in America and Kenya before his tragic death at the age of 24.
Brutal carjackers admit putting Inverness chocolate shop owner in intensive care
Two thugs have admitted putting an Inverness shop owner in intensive care for 10 days after a brutal carjacking a year ago.
Callum Ross, 19, and Matthew Bell, 24, flagged down a van driven by Lucas Story on the morning of December 19 2023, claiming they wanted a lift.
After Mr Story refused and drove off, a beer can was thrown at his vehicle on Merlewood Road, where he stopped to check for any damage.
Scout leader accused of sex assaults on girls also claimed he was carrying out ‘ritual’, court told
A scout leader has been accused of sexually assaulting teenage girls at campsites across the north-east and allegedly assaulting one child with a belt while claiming he was carrying out a “ritual”.
Christophe Orchowski is facing a series of charges that he sexually touched four girls, some as young as 13, at locations in Aberdeen, Stonehaven, St Cyrus and Lake Garda, Italy.
The 37-year-old – who served as chairman of the Polish Scouts of the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation – is accused of indecently assaulting the girls between 2016 and 2022.
Macduff teen in court on drink-driving charge after Banff footballer loses legs in crash
A teenager has appeared in court accused of causing a horror crash that resulted in a Banff footballer losing both his legs.
Arran Gary Paterson faced four charges – including dangerous driving and drink-driving – when he appeared in private at Banff Sheriff Court today.
The 19-year-old is also accused of driving a vehicle without consent or insurance.
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Unresponsive drunk returned to prison after spitting on face of paramedic who resuscitated him
A man who had been released early from prison has been sent back behind bars after he spat in the face of a paramedic who had resuscitated him only moments before.
David McEwan, 40, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted attacking the medic who had found him unresponsive under a stairwell with a half-empty bottle of vodka in his hand.
As McEwan was roused from unconsciousness, he immediately became aggressive, scrapping with the Scottish Ambulance Service worker before spitting in his face.
Inverness rapist attacked teenager in grounds of Aberdeen primary school
An Inverness sex predator who left women suffering from the impact of his violence and abuse was jailed for more than seven years today.
Andrew Hughes subjected one woman to indecent assault and repeated rape and physical attacks and threatened a second victim.
A judge told Hughes, 38, at the High Court in Edinburgh that his behaviour had resulted in serious and long-lasting physical and emotional impact for victims.
Dundee fan handed year-long ban after headbutting steward at Dons match
A Dundee FC supporter has been banned from all UK football games after he headbutted a steward at Pittodrie.
Robert Alexander, 61, took umbrage when a member of security staff asked him to move during an Aberdeen v Dundee game in April last year.
The two men got into a verbal argument when, without warning, Alexander headbutted the 25-year-old, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious with his nose bleeding “profusely”.
Inverness nightmare neighbour back in court after making more chilling threats
A nightmare neighbour who once threatened to shoot the woman next door has appeared in court again to face similar offences.
Donald Bain spoke about a shotgun and called his neighbours names during a tirade of abuse before threatening to kill them.
Bain, 73, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of threatening or abusive behaviour in relation to the incident on December 14 last year.
Get the latest crime and court stories delivered straight to your inbox
Every day our reporters are sitting in courtrooms around the area and now you can get their stories sent directly to you, five days a week.
Wick man assaulted partner in hotel after watching Inverness panto
A man viciously attacked his partner after travelling to Inverness to watch a pantomime.
Repeat domestic abuser John Macaulay, from Wick, punched the woman several times and she ran screaming from their hotel room, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
Macaulay, 34, admitted a single charge of domestic assault.
Oban serial rapist jailed for 13 years and branded a ‘sexual predator’
A former soldier who preyed on four victims during a five-decade campaign of abuse has been jailed for 13 years.
Malcolm Sloss was sentenced at the High Court in Paisley.
The now 71-year-old committed the crimes against two women and two girls in and around his hometown of Oban from the late 1980s to 2021.