After a break for the Easter weekend, Tayside’s courts were back in action on Tuesday.
Striker brought to book?
The striker is accused of being one of four people who formed a fraudulent scheme to gain £13,583.32 by pacing five bets on Hester being booked in the game, between his current club Elgin and Hibs, on July 26 2019.
Hester, 25, appeared in person to plead not guilty, while co-accused Findlay Soutar, 24, Calvin Parrott, 26, and Brodie Myers, 27, all of Montrose, all did so without appearing.
Trial fixed
Robert Mudie, 46, is to stand trial over claims he robbed a 63-year-old woman of her purse after knocking her to the ground.
He allegedly attacked the woman on Coupar Angus Road, Dundee on July 4 after approaching her from behind.
It is claimed he tried to grab her handbag and pulled at her, causing her to fall and her glasses to break.
Mudie, a prisoner at HMP Perth, allegedly stood over her, repeatedly tried to pull the bag from her and searched through it while struggling with her before robbing her of a purse.
He pled not guilty and trial was fixed for May.
Army veteran attack
The victim of an army veteran’s vicious glass attack has told how he still suffers pain from his facial wound, more than two years after the assault.
John Dodds plunged a glass into Gareth Ruxton’s face as they were together in the 1320 Bar in Arbroath in December 2019.
He needed seven stitches in the cheek wound and he still has regular shooting pains, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.
Dodds, 38, of Broughty Ferry pled guilty to assaulting his victim to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and will be sentenced later.
London pair to appear
Two people have been accused of travelling from London to deal drugs in Tayside.
Jade Lawlor, 28, and Jesse Winsborough, 29, are accused of being concerned in the supply of the Class B drug cannabis.
Prosecutors allege that between January 27-28 last year, the pair were involved in dealing the drug on the A9 Stirling to Perth road, near Auchterarder.
It is alleged that Lawlor drove a car without insurance which was permitted by Winsborough.
The pair, both of James Lane, Leyton, Waltham Forest, were not present when the case called at Dundee Sheriff Court.
A further first diet was fixed for June by Sheriff Richard MacFarlane.
Dundee attack claim
A man was allegedly left permanently disfigured after being attacked in Dundee.
Prosecutors allege that Aaron De Shafta, 28, was responsible for striking Steven Finnie on the head repeatedly on the head with an unknown object on Atholl Street on November 8 last year.
De Shafta, a prisoner of HMP Perth, is accused of pulling Mr Finnie along the ground by his clothing, pinning him to the ground and repeatedly striking him on the body and head with an unknown object.
This allegedly caused him to suffer severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
He pleaded not guilty when he appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court.
A trial was fixed for August.