A bumper selection of crimes and misdemeanours to start off the year.
OAP ‘attacked’ in Perth city centre
A man has been remanded in custody after an alleged assault on a pensioner in Perth city centre.
David McGregor appeared in private at Perth Sheriff Court, to face charges of pushing a 67-year-old man, causing him to fall to the ground, and repeatedly kicking him on the head and body to his injury.
Prosecutors claim the alleged attack took place in the city’s Mill Street on December 29.
McGregor, 50, faces further allegations of acting in a threatening or abusive manner on bus journey into Perth centre on the same day.
It is further alleged that on December 30 at Glengarry Road, Perth, he brandished a pair of pliers and uttered threats of violence.
McGregor, of Glenshee Crescent, made no plea during the brief hearing before Sheriff Alison McKay.
He was remanded in custody and expected to make a second appearance in court next week.
Officer attacked during Hogmanay call-out
A Dundee man attacked a police officer after he was caught with a woman he had been banned from seeing on Hogmanay.
Brian Wrycza broke a non-harassment order to share New Year’s Eve with his former partner Linda Brown at her home in Thurso Crescent.
Police were called to the address after a neighbour complained about loud music and shouting.
Officers arrived at 10.30pm and spoke to Ms Brown outside her flat, depute fiscal Duncan McKenzie said.
She told them she couldn’t find her key and wasn’t able to get into her home.
But after a short time of searching, she located the key and let police inside.
Officers found Wrycza, 38, in her bedroom.
They also discovered that he had been ordered by a court to stay away from Ms Brown as part of a five-year non-harassment order issued in June.
Wrycza was handcuffed when he attempted to headbutt constable Henry Salisbury.
Mr McKenzie said: “There was no contact and obviously the officer wasn’t injured.”
Wrycza pleaded guilty to a breach of the court order and a single charge of assault.
Sheriff George Way described the incident with the missing key as a “delaying tactic”.
The court heard that Ms Brown had “welcomed” Wrycza into her home.
He had contacted his solicitors before Christmas to ask about having the court order relaxed.
Sentence was deferred for background reports until February 14.
Face mask snatched
A Dundee man broke into a parked car and made off with a face mask, purse and a scrunchie.
Lance Marshall was locked up over the low-value haul when he appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday.
The 26-year-old admitted entering the unlocked Mercedes Benz in the city’s Roseangle on New Year’s Day and stealing the items from inside.
He pleaded guilty to a second charge of attempted theft, after he targeted a second car on the same street.
Marshall, of Brewery Lane, has previous convictions for similar offending.
In March 2021, he admitted trying to force his way into a parked vehicle in Dundee’s Barnes Avenue.
At that time, the crime was blamed on Marshall’s “out of control” Valium addiction.
Marshall was remanded in custody and sentence was deferred for background reports until January 6.
Breached court order
A Fife man who hurt his former partner at a property in Dunfermline on New Year’s Day broke strict court orders by being there.
David Donaldson appeared from custody at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Monday to admit breaching special bail conditions not to enter Aberdour Crescent.
While in the Dunfermline Street on January 1, Donaldson injured his former partner by shutting a door on her arm.
Donaldson, 33, also shouted, swore, acted aggressively and threw a glass, as well as damaging property there.
He admitted to assaulting the woman and acting in a manner “likely to cause fear or alarm.”
His solicitor said that the couple had been in a relationship for around a year.
He added: “For what it’s worth, he was at the complainer’s property at her invitation.
“On his own admission, he is conceding to me that he has a significant problem with alcohol.
“When he does drink, he seems to often suffer blackouts.”
Sheriff Alison McKay told Donaldson: “I’m concerned about these offences.”
The sheriff released Donaldson, of Holborn Place in Rosyth, on bail and ordered reports.
He will be sentenced on February 11.
New Year’s Eve abuse
A Dunfermline man has admitted to drunkenly following his partner out to their home and attacking her on the landing.
Latvian national Jurijs Kavalkos admitted to the assault at his home in Golfdrum Street on Hogmanay.
He appeared from custody at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to the attack.
The court heard the couple had been in a relationship for five years and that throughout the day, the pair had been consuming alcohol.
Kavalkos, 32, attacked his partner after she had been on a phone call to wish relatives in Latvia a happy new year.
He seized her by the arm and pulled her hair before following her out onto the landing.
His partner tried to escape but Kavalkos followed her and locked the door, before he punched her to the left side of her face, leaving reddening.
A witness ran to assist the woman and took her into a neighbouring property.
Solicitor Brian Black said: “He is absolutely ashamed of his behaviour.”
Sheriff Alison McKay told Kavalkos: “This may be out of character but I’m not prepared to deal with the matter today.”
She ordered reports and deferred sentencing, at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, until February 11.
Woman headbutted
A Thornton teenager has admitted headbutting a woman in Buckhaven.
Codie Stevens, 18, admitted to leaving the woman injured on Michael Street on August 27, 2020.
Stevens, of Blackthorn Drive, headbutted the woman outside a property in the Levenmouth town cutting and swelling the bridge her nose and leaving her requiring treatment from paramedics.
She wasn’t present at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Hogmanay when her solicitor David McLaughlin plead guilty to the assault on her behalf.
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith deferred sentencing until March 22 for her to be of good behaviour.
In case you missed it…
Thursday court round-up — PCR proof for ‘practical joker’
Wednesday round-up — FaceTime, dogs and knives
Monday round-up — Christmas gift bail breach
Thursday round-up — Two pint drink-driver and ‘looking for Bob’
Happy New Year from the Court and Crime Team. We’ll be back with another round-up on Wednesday evening, after Tuesday’s Bank Holiday.
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
