Two Perth men have gone on trial over allegedly abducting, robbing and maiming an Angus man.
Peter Robert Selby and William Moore appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court, where they denied forcing the man to drive from his home near Kirriemuir to a high street bank machine in order to withdraw money.
Prosecutors allege Selby and Moore detained Jonathan Gourley against his will and assaulted him to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement, permanent impairment and to the danger of his life by repeatedly punching him on the head.
It was also alleged the pair forced him to change out of blood-stained clothes to make the trip from Cantsmill Farm Cottage in Airlie to the Clydesdale Bank in Forfar on October 22 last year.
Selby, 34, whose address was given in court papers as Spey Court, Perth, and Moore, 33, a prisoner at Perth, appeared in front of Sheriff Pino Di Emidio facing an indictment alleging that they abducted Mr Gourley from the cottage, acted in an aggressive and threatening manner, demanded he give them £1,500 cash, searched his property without his consent, and removed mobile phones from Mr Gourley and David Hamilton, preventing them from calling for assistance.
It is further alleged the pair repeatedly threatened Mr Gourley with violence, told him that they would take him to a bank to withdraw money against his will, threatened to stab him, threatened to burn his house down, made him change out of bloodstained clothing, forced him into a car and escorted him into the Clydesdale Bank in Castle Street, Forfar, stood with him while he withdrew £1,500 and took the cash in money.
Moore allegedly committed the offence while he was on three bail orders, having been granted at Perth Sheriff Court on March 23, April 24, and September 24, all last year.
Mr Gourley, 42, told the depute fiscal he owned the cottage for 11 years and is a master carpenter who employed local people to help convert his home.
He said: “I’ve hired lots of Scots lads to get them off the Xbox and off the dole, and showed them what real work is like.”
Sheriff Pino Di Emidio told the jury that Mr Gourley had been examined for fitness to give evidence, which would delay further evidence until today.
The trial, in front of a jury of eight women and seven men, continues.