Despite appearances, this court round-up is not sponsored by Buckfast.
Buckfast thief
A topless Buckfast thief has been fined £143 after drunkenly raiding a Fife convenience store.
James MacDonald admitted to stealing three bottles of the tonic wine from the Nisa store on Methilhaven Road in Methil on June 10.
The 33-year-old had entered the store with another person shortly before 7pm and was in a state of drunkenness.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, fiscal Depute Mat Piskorz said: “Police required to attend at the locus in relation to a disturbance.”
Both men were at the section of the shop where the Buckfast wine was displayed and MacDonald, of the town’s Byron Street, helped himself to three bottles.
“He was intoxicated and shirtless while doing so,” Mr Piskorz added.
The incident was captured on shop CCTV and officers apprehended MacDonald, retrieving the bottles.
Defence solicitor Graham Inch explained MacDonald had recently relapsed having been battling an alcohol addiction.
Sheriff Maryam Labaki fined MacDonald, who wasn’t present at court.
Police stand-off
A Buckfast-fuelled driver who dragged police through a Perth car park has been jailed. William Mason said of one officer: “He’s lucky he never went under the f***ing wheels” after he was pulled from his car and handcuffed at the end of a tense stand-off on Strathtay Road.
Key stealer
Fife man Gary Jackson, 36, stole the house keys of a Kennoway couple who were waiting for a carer’s visit.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, Fiscal Depute Xander van der Scheer explained the couple in Cupar Road were drawn to a suspicious noise from the rear of their property.
The 64-year-old woman made her way to the back door, where she found Jackson.
She asked him what he was doing and told him to go away.
He left but she noticed the keys were missing.
Assuming Jackson had taken them, she pursued him and confronted him. He gave them back.
Jackson, of Kingsdale Gardens in Kennoway, pled guilty to stealing the keys on May 20.
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith fixed sentencing for November 16 for Jackson to attend in person.
Cannabis haul
County lines drug dealer Jesse Winsborough faces prison. The Waltham Forest man crashed on the A9 in whiteout conditions and began hauling his suitcase along the road south of Perth, before being picked up by police. They offered him a lift to nearby Gleneagles Station but were stunned to find 14kg of cannabis in his bag. Here’s the full story.
Trial fixed
A trial has been fixed for a man accused of carrying out sex attacks on four different women.
John Mulholland allegedly committed the offences between October 2011 and February 2 last year at addresses in Dundee.
Prosecutors allege Mulholland attacked the women while they were sleeping.
The first was allegedly touched indecently on October 22, 2011.
On March 24, 2019, Mulholland, of Dunmore Street, is said to have touched a second woman in a similar manner and continued to do so despite being told to stop.
Prosecutors say he pulled the woman towards him and pressed himself against her.
He is accused of touching a third woman indecently while she slept on January 1 last year.
Mulholland, 31, allegedly acted in a similar manner towards a fourth woman on February 2 last year.
At Dundee Sheriff Court, Mulholland had pleas of not guilty tendered on his behalf by defence solicitor David Duncan.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael fixed a trial for April, which will be held at Perth Sheriff Court.
St Andrews rapist
Rapist Steven McKee faces a lengthy spell in prison after attacking a woman in St Andrews in 2019. The 49-year-old has a previous conviction for attempting to murder his then-partner when she decided against marrying him in 2011.
In case you missed it…
Tuesday round-up — Delivery drink-driver and driving ‘f***y’
Monday round-up — Crash apology and stairs tumble
Friday round-up — Helping the sheriff and benefit fraud
Thursday round-up — Cinema solution and weighty charges