Thursday’s round-up includes stories of stalking, embezzlement and car theft.
Insurance embezzler
An employee has admitted embezzling thousands of pounds from insurance giant Aviva.
Joy Pumayi stole just over £13,000 while working as a household claims handler for the Perth-based firm.
The 28-year-old, of Airthrey Avenue, Bridge of Allan, took the cash between January 4 and August 4, 2017.
She will be sentenced at Perth Sheriff Court on January 26.
Tracking device stalker
Stalker Bea Burgyan placed a tracking device on her married lover’s car, took pictures of his house and sent an explicit video to his wife. The 27-year-old from Kirkcaldy was told her course of conduct merited a prison sentence but she was handed unpaid work and a non-harassment order instead.
Car theft
An Aberdeen man must pay Mackie Motors hundreds of pounds in compensation after helping himself to a car the company was selling.
Gary Cooper admitted stealing a vehicle from the dealership’s outlet on Montrose Road in Arbroath in October 2020.
The 47-year-old pled guilty to stealing a vehicle from the branch between October 22 and 28 last year.
Cooper, of Marchburn Place in Aberdeen, was sentenced at Forfar Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Alison Michie placed him under supervision for a year and ordered him to pay £610 in compensation to the company.
Cooper must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
Murder allegation
31-year-old David Barnes appeared on a petition alleging he murdered Fife man Ean Coutts. Mr Coutts’ body was found in a Glenrothes industrial estate last September. Barnes faced a total of 29 charges, including theft, fraud and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He made no plea and was remanded.
Drug-driver
A former chef has been banned from the road after he was caught driving through rural Perthshire while under the influence of cannabis.
Michael Sheriffs said he had no idea he still had drugs in his system when he was pulled over by police on the A93 near Meikleour on June 2, last year.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the class B substance can still be detected for several days after use.
Sheriffs admitted driving with 6.8mcg of tetrahydrocannabinol in his system, more than three times the permit limit of 2mcg.
He told Sheriff William Wood: “I don’t take drugs any more.
“I used to be a chef but now I’m a builder and I get regularly tested for drugs.”
The 30-year-old, of Colonsay Street, Perth, added: “It used to be my luxury, but I didn’t know it would stay in my system for so long.”
Sheriffs was fined £450 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
Shoeless and clueless
A shoeless thief was caught by police hiding in a bush with his ex-girlfriend’s bank card and key fob, immediately after she reported them missing from her home. Brian Ferguson,30 took a coat, which contained the items, after breaking into the woman’s flat on Kenmay Gardens, Dundee on October 14. He was jailed.
Perth petition
Robert Basterfield, 50, from Perth appeared on petition at the city’s sheriff court.
He faces charges relating to threatening and abusive behaviour and restricting, obstructing or hindering police in the execution of their duties.
Basterfield made no plea and the case was continued for further examination.
The accused was remanded.
In case you missed it…
Wednesday round-up — Chisel and knife attack charges
Tuesday round-up — ‘Just jail me’
Monday round-up — House of Horrors embezzlement charge
Friday round-up — Prison cell gel hell
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
