The trial of Dundee murder accused Andrew Innes will proceed in January, it has been confirmed.
A hearing at Glasgow High Court heard there are no outstanding issues to prevent the trial beginning on January 30, as previously agreed.
Innes allegedly killed Bennylyn Burke, 25, and her child Jellica Burke at a house in Troon Avenue, Dundee, between February 20 and March 5 2021.
Prosecutors claim the 51-year-old then hid the bodies under the kitchen floor of the property, in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.
He is further accused of raping a seven-year-old girl.
Bail breach
A Perthshire paedophile caught downloading child abuse files on the morning of a police raid admitted breaching a court-imposed computer ban. Engineer Rodney Rice, from Abernyte, had a computer tower in contravention of bail conditions.
Wrong way to turn
An uninsured decorator in Perth was stopped by police after going the wrong way down a one-way street and reversing into traffic lights while trying to correct his error.
Costel Ilie was fined £640 after appearing from custody to admit being over the limit and having no insurance.
Police on foot patrol stopped him at midnight after he turned from Scott Street onto Perth’s High Street on October 10.
He apologised, saying he was lost.
Ilie, of Knockhill Road in Renfrew, began to reverse but failed to turn and collided with traffic lights. No damage was sustained.
An officer then spotted a beer bottle in his cupholder.
When asked if he’d been drinking, the 24-year-old from Romania said: “I don’t speak English.”
He returned a breathalyser result of 76 mics, more than three times the 22 mics limit.
Solictor Billy Somerville said his client was driving a works van and was confused about insurance rules, with Romanian legislation allowing anyone with a licence to drive any insured vehicle.
Ilie was also disqualified from driving for a year.
Club attack
A clubber from Fife bottled and repeatedly punched another reveller in the middle of an Aberdeen nightclub dancefloor because he accidentally bumped into a woman. Paul Coates, 31, from Glenrothes, took umbrage at a group of males who twice bumped into him and the woman at Club Tropicana.
Pizza box assault
A Fife man pulled his partner’s glasses from her face and threw them outside before throwing a pizza box at her head.
Brian Thomas, 55, pled guilty to the assault when he appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The incident took place at a property in the town’s Cawdor Crescent on September 24 this year.
Procurator fiscal depute Jennifer Bairner said Thomas had been drinking alcohol while the woman was out with a friend and she returned home that evening.
“Some words were exchanged between them and whilst the complainer was doing some ironing in the kitchen, the accused pulled her glasses off her face and threw them outside.
“It caused the complainer to feel intimidated.”
Ms Bairner said a delivery driver arrived at the door a short time later with food for Thomas.
He took in a pizza and threw the pizza box at the woman.
The delivery driver left and contacted police.
Thomas, of Ladybank’s Pine Grove, was fined £400 by Sheriff James MacDonald.
Defence lawyer Alistair Burleigh said Thomas had only removed the woman’s glasses after she had snatched glasses from his face.
The solicitor said the pair had been arguing with each other at the front door when the delivery driver was there.
