Back in the courts post-Christmas.
Christmas gift bail breach
John Stuart, from Arbroath was jailed after he broke court orders for the sixth time in as many months to drop off a Christmas present.
Stuart, 42, of Grant Road, admitted approaching a woman at her home in the Angus town’s Leonard Street on Christmas Eve, breaching bail conditions for the sixth time in 2021.
He attended at the property with a gift bag while police were conducting a welfare check on the woman and he told officers he was at the wrong address.
Stuart appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court to admit breaching court restrictions while subject to five bail orders, dating from June to December.
His solicitor Scott Norrie said: “He accepts that he shouldn’t have been there.
“He’s not the sharpest individual.
“He has breached it (bail) multiple times.
“There’s not been any concerning behaviour, other than meeting the complainer.”
Sheriff Lorna Drummond jailed Stuart for four months.
She said: “It doesn’t seem to me there’s any prospect of you complying with bail.”
Toilet pervert
Raymond Finlay, 77, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and under supervision for placing a hidden camera in the toilets of a Perthshire coffee shop to film users.
Bike thief jailed
A drug addict who stole bikes worth a total of almost £5,500 has been jailed for a year.
Callum Welsh, 31, took the cycles from a number of addresses across Dunfermline.
Over the course of just over a month he took six bikes, one of which was electric.
He also stole a jacket worth £155 from a shop in the town’s Kingsgate Shopping Centre.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard only one owner got their bike back after spotting an advert when the person who bought it from Welsh decided to sell it.
Solicitor Steve Morrison, defending, said Welsh had taken the bikes to fund his heroin and crack cocaine habits.
He said since being remanded in custody in relation to these offences Welsh has undergone a detox programme in prison and is now “to all intents and purposes” clean.
Welsh, of Burns Street Dunfermline, admitted stealing the bikes – ranging in value from £240 to £3,000 – from addresses in Pittencrieff Street, Pitmuir Place, Urquhart Crescent and Bevridgewell, Dunfermline between October 16 and November 23.
The bikes ranged in value from £240 to £3,000.
Perth pile-up
83year-old John Rennie from Perth was fined and banned after his dangerous driving led to an M90 motorway pile-up. Three people, including Rennie, were injured when he swerved onto the wrong carriageway.
Murder accused
The man accused of the murder of Ean Coutts is set to stand trial in the new year.
David Barnes made no plea when he appeared for his second hearing from custody at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Friday.
The 31-year-old is alleged to have murdered Mr Coutts, whose body was found in a Glenrothes Industrial estate last September.
In total, Barnes faces 29 charges.
He was fully committed for trial and remanded in custody.
Justice call
Bethany Haines from Perth has told how she hopes the justice system will not fail her or the other victims of vile abuser Andrew Murray. Murray was jailed for a campaign of violence and intimidation against Bethany but was freed on appeal. He has now been convicted of abusing four other women and will be sentenced next year.
Iron thrower
An Angus man has been placed under supervision after hurling an iron and a chair across a Dundee home.
Shaun Chalmers, 38, was sentenced after he acted in a threatening manner at a property in Bakunin Crescent on February 23 last year.
The 38-year-old acted aggressively towards his partner, shouted, swore and made abusive remarks towards her.
Chalmers, of McGregors Walk in Arbroath, was also convicted of wilfully or recklessly damaging the property by throwing a chair and an iron.
Sheriff Paul Brown placed him under supervision for a year.
In case you missed it…
Thursday round-up — Two pint drink-driver and ‘looking for Bob’
Wednesday round-up — Dundee ‘car chase’ and Asda ban
Tuesday round-up — Drink-driver ditched and dog walker attack
Monday round-up — Syringe assault and Facebook breach
All courts are closed on Tuesday December 28 so there will be no round-up.
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
