The tragic blaze at Perth’s Shore Recycling Centre led to a morning of disruption at the sheriff courts in the city and Kirkcaldy.
Nearly 20 scheduled trials were postponed in Perth after sheriffs, staff and key witnesses from outside the city centre were unable to attend.
Many were stuck in gridlocked traffic, while others had to abandon their journeys because of a lack of public transport.
Efforts to start a sheriff and jury trial were also delayed.
In Kirkcaldy, alleged bogus workman Edward McCallum had his case continued a week because he was unable to get to Kirkcaldy.
McCallum faces charges relating to attempting to defraud multiple people by pretending to be a workman, charges of threatening and abusive behaviour, and of assault of police officers.
Murder cop stalker woman
A police detective in charge in some of Dundee’s highest profile murder probes of recent years faces career ruin after being found guilty of a stalking offence. Stewart Andrew was fined and now faces a gross misconduct probe after his lawyer failed to secure an absolute discharge at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
150 miles for piping theft
Clarke Huntington, 23, was caught on CCTV stealing £2,400 worth of steel piping from a Dunfermline business.
He travelled from Durham to carry out the theft at PCM Engineering in Castleblair Lane, on March 25 last year.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard Huntington arrived in a van at around 6.30am and began to load stainless steel piping onto the back of the vehicle, before it was driven off.
Huntington, of Elizabeth Place in Shotton Colliery near Durham, appeared in court to plead guilty to theft.
The court heard two others are accused of acting with Huntington to commit the theft.
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson deferred sentencing until April for the production of background reports.
Bungled robbery
A pair of bungling robbers, including one who set fire to his glove while trying to light a cigarette in their victims’ living room, have been jailed. David Aird and Lee Brown – armed with a meat cleaver and spanner, respectively – raided the wrong flat looking for a safe and then made multiple failed attempts to start the getaway car they eventually stole.
Mooned Dundee fans
A Celtic fan who mooned in view of thousands of supporters at Dens Park has been admonished.
Jay Jackson exposed his bottom in full view of 3,000 spectators – including young children – while his team’s match against Dundee was taking place.
Jackson, 23, was with other Celtic supporters at Dens Park when he exposed himself in the Bob Shankly Stand.
He admitted carrying out an act of public indecency on November 7 2021, shortly after the start of the second half.
Jackson, of Bo’ness, had previously been ordered to be of good behaviour after admitting the offence.
Returning to the dock at Dundee Sheriff Court, he was admonished by Sheriff George Way, who said: “It was a stupid offence.”
Appeal fails
A driver jailed for nine years for using a stolen car in a multiple murder bid in Perthshire has failed to have his prison sentence cut. Charlie Tunstall, 25, repeatedly reversed the VW Golf GTI at mechanics on a garage forecourt in Birnam and struck one, seriously injuring him.
£1k cocaine questioned
A sheriff issued a stark warning to a Perthshire teenager caught with more than £900 worth of cocaine.
James Walker, 18, had two bags of the drug when police pulled over his car in Hunter Street, Auchterarder, on December 30.
At Perth Sheriff Court, he admitted a single charge of possession.
Fiscal depute David Currie told the court officers carried out a routine stop of Walker’s vehicle just before 2am.
“There was a smell emanating from within.
“The car was searched and two bags of white powder were recovered.”
Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith said: “I’m curious why nearly £1,000 of cocaine in two separate packages is a charge of possession.
“It seems like a mobile drug dealing shop but I can only take deal with what is before me.”
Walker, of Benton Road, Auchterarder, was fined £600.
Demolition derby
Garage manager Leslie Amos has been banned after drunkenly crashing into five cars as he tried to drive his brawling son Ryan Amos – who admitted assault – home from the pub. He damaged cars worth around £200,000 – including a Porsche 911 Black Edition – in Falkland and Dunshalt.
Rolled on ground for 30 minutes
Paula Houston, 37, has been fined at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for brandishing a crutch while assaulting a man at her Kelty home on July 11 last year.
Fiscal depute Catherine Stevenson told the court Houston had messaged the man to ask if he could come and meet her to resolve a dispute involving someone else.
As she answered her front door, she pulled him inside “by the scruff of the neck”.
The fiscal said the pair ended up “rolling around on the ground” for about 30 minutes.
When the man broke away and made off, Houston chased him and brandished a crutch at him.
Defence lawyer Calum Harris said his client believes she was also the victim of an assault that day.
He said she advised she suffered a broken eye socket and nose.
Mr Harris said: “However, she accepts it was her that instigated it.
“She has only come to the courts after a rush of blood to the head over an argument”.
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson fined her £500.
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