On Scotland’s day of football destiny, the Tuesday court round-up kicks off with a sporting tale.
Booking bet
A further hearing has been fixed for a professional footballer accused of deliberately getting himself booked as part of a betting scam worth almost £14,000.
It is alleged a five-figure sum was paid out by bookmakers Bet 365 on Elgin City’s Kane Hester being booked during a Betfred Scottish League Cup game with Hibernian in 2019.
Hester, 25, Findlay Soutar, 24, Calvin Parrott, 26, and Brodie Myers, 27, all deny forming a fraudulent scheme between July 20 and August 2 2019.
Five separate bets were allegedly placed on former Arbroath striker Hester being booked in the game on July 26, 2019.
Prosecutors allege Hester purposely committed a foul and received a booking after stamping on an opposing player’s calf.
The men allegedly received payments of £17,333.32 from Bet 365.
It is alleged £13,583.32 was fraudulently obtained.
Hester, of Rutland Crescent, Montrose, previously appeared personally at Dundee Sheriff Court to plead not guilty to the single charge on indictment.
Soutar, of Renny Crescent; Parrott, of North Street, and Myers, of Barns of Craig Steadings, all Montrose, were not present.
Due to the court’s inability to accommodate four-accused trials at present, a further first diet was fixed for August by Sheriff Gregor Murray.
Fife siege
A Fife man livestreamed a video of himself on a social media platform before staging a siege at a Kirkcaldy property.
Kieran Nelson used a knife to cause self-inflicted injuries while broadcasting online.
He then barricaded himself into the property before threatening to harm any police officer who tried to enter.
He also repeatedly played loud music and climbed onto the roof of the property.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court he admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at a property in the town’s Church street on March 4 and 5.
The 21-year-old, who is currently being held at Glenochil prison, will be sentenced next month.
Covid ‘excuse’
An arrest warrant was issued for Robert Pawlicki after he failed to appear at Perth Sheriff Court, citing sickness caused by the Covid-19 vaccine for the second time. He is due to stand trial accused of threatening to release an intimate video of a woman on the internet.
Sexual assault allegation
A trial has been fixed for a man accused of sexually a woman and intending to rape another in a two month period.
Stephen Willocks, 57, is accused of committing the offences at a pub in Arbroath and another address in the town.
It is alleged that on November 9 2019, Willocks sexually assaulted a woman in the bar by repeatedly placing his arms around her body, inside her jacket and repeatedly attempting to pull her body close to his.
Willocks, of Townhead Road, Arbroath, allegedly assaulted a second woman by pushing her down, holding her down, repeatedly trying to kiss her, biting her on the neck and face, repeatedly touched her indecently.
Prosecutors allege this was with the intent of raping the woman.
At Dundee Sheriff Court, Willocks was not present when the case called for a first diet.
A plea of not guilty was tendered on his behalf by defence counsel Jonathan Crowe.
Willocks was ordered to stand trial in January.
Eye gouge threat
Read here how drug addict Shaun Ferguson from Fife threatened police who were waking him for regular safety checks while he was in the cells at Kirkcaldy police station.
Bug bite pants search
Business boss James Lewis-Booth claimed he was not performing a solo sex act in public, in his car. He said a bug had bitten his privates and he was searching his pants for it. Read the full story here.
Murder trial
A man accused of murdering his father in Perth has been committed for trial. Craig Nixon faces a charge of murdering Ian Menzies earlier this month.
In case you missed it…
Monday round-up — Painkiller pain and police exposure
Friday round-up — Church dash and private member
Thursday round-up — Dog threat and hurling stick
Wednesday round-up — Reverse Easter Bunny
