A St Johnstone supporter accused of being part of a rampaging mob at McDiarmid Park has walked free from court after a sheriff found charges against him not proven.
Declan Harvey denied allegations he was involved with a crowd that clashed with police and stewards outside the stadium in May last year.
Prosecutors said the group of around 30 supporters threw smoke bombs and pyrotechnics when St Johnstone players returned to their home ground after their historic Scottish Cup win.
Harvey, 22, went on trial at Perth Sheriff Court, facing charges he caused fear or alarm by behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, argued there was no evidence Harvey had done anything violent or abusive.
He also questioned whether the court had positively identified his client from surveillance film taken from McDiarmid Park cameras.
Sheriff Francis Gill told Harvey, of Thriepland Wynd: “I am not satisfied that the Crown has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“As a result I find the case not proven.”
Covid led to neglect
A Kirkcaldy woman who neglected a dog so badly its claws were grown almost into its paws had rescued it from backyard breeders. Siobhan Wallace claimed Covid restrictions prevented professional groomers from treating the dog as they needed two people to hold it down so she called the Scottish SPCA to tell them what she had done.
Drink-drive-thru
A Dundee mum has been banned from the road after being caught pulling into a McDonald’s drive-thru while almost two times over the limit.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, Kerry Hillocks, 32, of Mossgiel Place, admitted driving with excess alcohol (43 mics/ 22).
Police were called to check on her Renault, which was described as being driven erratically on the A90 and they followed her into the McDonald’s car park in Forfar.
They stopped her in the drive-thru queue with young children in the car.
Solicitor Nick Markowski said his client had been drinking earlier in the day but thought she’d be safe and her career in the care sector is now at risk.
Sheriff Krista Johnston banned Hillocks from driving for a year and fined her £270.
Rapist on Register for life
Craig Slezas, 33, from Crail, has been jailed for 12 years and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. The former greenkeeper at a St Andrews golf course was caged after being convicted of raping women during an eight-year campaign of violence.
Fractured face
A teenager who fractured his cousin’s face in Lochgelly and pled guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury has escaped a prison sentence.
The 17-year-old attacked his victim by punching and kicking him to the head and body on December 12 last year.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had not been in trouble either before or since the incident.
The court previously heard the teenager had been with friends and was unimpressed when he answered the door to his relative, who was intoxicated.
Procurator fiscal depute Douglas Thomson said: “Both had a verbal altercation and it turned violent.”
The victim was later taken to Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital and found to have a fractured jaw in two places and a possible broken nose.
He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody and placed on a 12-month supervision order.
Dealer pay-back
A drug dealer who crashed during a high-speed car chase in Dundee has been ordered to hand over more than £3,000 to the Crown. Steven Whyte, who was jailed for two years in September, has been ordered to hand over £3,120 under Proceeds of Crime legislation after cocaine was found in his wrecked car.
House breaker
Aberfeldy woman Kerry Fox attacked her partner’s home in Breadalbane Terrace, causing hundreds of pounds of damage.
The 36-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted causing fear or alarm by behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on March 28.
She also pled guilty to making violent threats to police officers and breaking a bail order not to approach her girlfriend.
Fiscal depute Rebecca Kynaston told the court the complainer was woken at 6.45am by the complainer demanding entry to the property and asking for her mobile phone.
“Neighbours were woken by the sound of smashing at the front door and screaming from the property,” said Ms Kynaston.
“The accused was heard to shout out: ‘I just want my f***ing phone’ and ‘if you don’t give me it, I’m going to smash the f***ing window in’.”
Fox hit the door with a rock before going to a bedroom window. Neighbours heard glass smashing.
Police were phoned by a neighbour and they seized a golf club from the front of the property.
Ms Kynaston said about £700 worth of damage was caused to the council home.
Solicitor Mike Tavendale, defending, said Fox had suffered mental health difficulties and she and the complainer are still together.
Sentence was deferred for reports.
