A man has appeared in court in connection with an alleged armed robbery at a Dundee newsagent.
Brian Millar was remanded in custody following the brief, private hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday.
Police launched an investigation following reports of an assault and robbery at Forbes Newsagents on Clepington Road in the early hours of Saturday.
Millar made no plea and is due to return to court for a follow-up appearance next week.
Scoutmaster behind bars
A Scout leader who plied teenage boys with alcohol and abused them on camping trips for years is behind bars.
John Somerville incited a 14-year-old to touch his penis for a “dare” during a sick camping game and performed sex acts with him.
In his Fife home, Somerville made a 13-year-old boy do naked press-ups as punishment and indecently assaulted another 14-year-old.
The offending took place between June 1996 and February 1999.
Somerville, 57, pled guilty to indecently assaulting two 14-year-old boys and using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards a 13-year-old.
Drunken smash
A 20-year-old Dunfermline drink driver has been banned from the road after being caught at more than three times the legal limit.
Finlay Hopkins, of Appin Crescent, pled guilty to driving a car in the city’s St Margarets Drive in the early hours of February 5 after consuming excess alcohol (74mcg/22).
Procurator fiscal depute Rachel Barr told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that police were called by a member of the public after Hopkins crashed the car and told them “something had run out in front of him”.
Officers arrived and noticed his speech was slurred and that he smelled of alcohol.
Defence lawyer Amy Harley said first offender Hopkins had “a few drinks” at a friend’s house and stupidly decided to get in the car for a 10-minute drive home.
The solicitor said Hopkins passed his driving test in August 2021.
She stressed her client, who is in full time employment, had pled guilty at the earliest opportunity and that it was the first time he had been involved with police at all.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland fined Hopkins £300 and banned him driving for a year.
Tik Tok police chase
A speeding motorist slammed into a pursuing police car while passengers filmed the chase for TikTok and lobbed tools and a stolen tractor battery at officers.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how the Land Rover with stuck-on fake plates led police on a dangerous 30-mile chase through Perthshire and Angus.
At one point, the Freelander came to a sudden halt before reversing at top speed into the police vehicle behind.
The impact blew out at the Land Rover’s back window, through which occupants Brandon Williams, 22, Dylan Adams, 18, and Kane McDonald, 26, fired a series of missiles including the battery, a crow bar and a box.
The chase, which began on the A93 in east Perthshire, ended about 45 minutes later when a police stinger punctured the Land Rover’s tyres on the A928 near Glamis.
McDonald was cleared of dangerous driving following a trial at Perth Sheriff Court. He claimed that another man was behind the wheel.
Pervert drove victim, 14, to brink of suicide
A notorious Angus paedophile who tormented his latest victim to the brink of suicide has been jailed and banned from unsupervised contact with children for 15 years.
Serial child sex offender John Johnstone showed no emotion as he was locked up for 30 months.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how in May 2020, Johnstone used teen chat site “Mylol” to engage with a 14-year-old schoolboy from England.
The boy’s full name, age and general location were visible while vile Johnstone chatted under the guise of “Summer”, a 13-year-old girl.
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