A pair of brothers caught stealing TVs from a Montrose supermarket have been sentenced.
29-year-old David Anderson, of Portal Crescent in Aberdeen, and 33-year-old William Alexander, of Alexander Drive in Aberdeen, both admitted the raid at the Western Road Tesco on February 12 last year.
David successfully made it out of the shop with a 55” television, worth £279, before his loot was recovered.
William was caught while attempting to steal another TV from the shop.
Both admitted theft.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, Sheriff Derek Reekie placed David Anderson under supervision for a year, and fined his brother £420.
Rioter at it again
Notorious rooftop rioter Malcolm Leggat has been jailed for a brutal assault on a fellow Castle Huntly inmate. The convicted killer, who took part in an infamous Peterhead Prison siege brought to an end by the SAS, launched himself at prisoner Thomas McIntyre after he called him a “beast”.
Crypto-dabbler in taxi assault
Finlay Whytock, 20, of Wellbank Place, Rattray, Blairgowrie, has been fined £300 for punching a taxi driver.
He admitted assaulting driver Toni Lorimer after being hit in the back by an opening door of her taxi on Canmore Street, Dunfermline.
The city’s sheriff court heard up to 100 people had gathered outside a bar in the street at around 11pm on July 9 last year.
People were crossing the road and Ms Lorimer sounded her horn several times in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
Procurator fiscal depute Amy Robertson said Ms Lorimer opened the taxi door to try to stop people approaching.
She said: “Upon being hit by the door the accused punched Ms Lorimer once to the face and this was seen by patrons outside the bar”.
She was not injured.
Defence lawyer Jamie Baxter said the door sent his client “sprawling to the ground”.
Whytock claims the driver was approaching him after he got up and he reacted by punching her once.
Mr Baxter said his client is effectively self-employed and earns about £3,000 a month from dabbling in crypto-currencies.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis pointed out Whytock was convicted for assault to disfigurement with a weapon when he was 16 and told him: “You cannot strike first and ask questions later”.
Dangerous rapist jailed
A rapist who continues to maintain his innocence was jailed for five years after repeatedly attacking on the same woman in Fife. Robert Findlay, 33, perpetrated some of his abuse on the victim when she was asleep and incapable of giving consent to sex.
Corona cannabis cache
A couple of Montrose cannabis dealers were caught by police when officers challenged them on coronavirus rules.
Police visited Lacie Hopkins and Ben Clarkson’s former home on January 30 last year to challenge the residents on breaching pandemic rules and found the couple inside with two other people.
The police saw evidence of drug dealing and gained a search warrant.
They found 187 grammes of cannabis in tubs and a jar, as well as snap bags, two sets of scales, five bongs and four grinders, a money box full of cash and a notebook.
Solicitor Nick Markowski said his clients had had the Class B drugs valued independently and believed the illicit haul to be worth between £1,000 and £1,800.
He said both consumed a lot of cannabis at the time and got involved “on the basis of immaturity and probably the amount of cannabis they were smoking.”
Sheriff Derek Reekie placed Hopkins, 20, of King Street, Montrose, under supervision for a year and instructed her to complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
Clarkson, 21, of St Brioc Way, Ferryden, was given 140 hours of unpaid work.
Caravan boss not guilty
A company director accused of using mis-selling caravans to customers in Blairgowrie and Arbroath has been found not guilty after a two-day trial. Cresswell Welch, 59, the boss of Crown Park Sales Ltd left Perth Sheriff Court an innocent man after the trial collapsed.
Sectarian football abuse
A teenage thug hurled sectarian abuse at a Rangers versus St Johnstone game.
Paul McLeod, 18, made the comments while at Ibrox Stadium on December 15 2021 for the Scottish Premiership match.
McLeod taunts included: “F*** the pope” and later stated “All taigs are targets.”
He also sang the sash and made a homophobic slur to police.
McLeod went on to commit a spate of assaults and thefts at later dates.
McLeod pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to two charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner aggravated by religious prejudice and prejudice relating to sexual orientation.
He also admitted five assaults, one theft and possession of a passport with improper intention.
The false passport, in the name of Leon Lochrie was seized when McLeod was arrested at half time of the match.
Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “He behaved in an abusive manner shouting ‘F*** the Pope, f*** your rosary beads, sang the sash and was swearing.”
McLeod was taken from the stadium into custody where his behaviour continued where he made the “All taigs are targets” remark.
He then went on to call officers “p***y b******s.”
McLeod then made an attempt to bite an officer on the hand.
Sentence was deferred for background reports and McLeod was remanded.
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