A pair of Dundee brothers have been convicted by jurors after fighting in a city nightclub.
On November 2 2019, 41-year-old John and William Abbott, 39, conducted themselves in a disorderly manner at Pout Nightclub on St Andrews Street.
Jurors found they engaged in a stand-up fight, swung their arms around and kicked out their legs, striking people on the face and body and causing them to fall to the ground.
The jury at Dundee Sheriff Court convicted John Abbott unanimously and William Abbot by majority.
William Abbott was convicted of three more charges – in the nightclub, assaulting a man by punching him on the head and grabbing him on the body to his injury, assaulting PC Steven Hosie by punching him on the head at Seagate and acting abusively in the back of a police van that night.
Both brothers, of Ettrick Crescent, were cleared of severely injuring another man by knocking out two of his teeth in another assault in the club.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael told them prison is a “possibility”, bailed them and deferred sentence to May 12 for reports.
Sextortionist
A catfishing sextortionist who exploited men who contacted her for sex has avoided a jail sentence. Lauren Hunt, 24, threatened to “expose” the men who had messaged her online to their family and friends unless they handed over cash.
Threats petition
A 45-year-old Glenrothes man has appeared in court accused of brandishing a knife and making threats to kill.
Keith Murphy denied two charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear or alarm, when he appeared from custody at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
It follows an incident in the Keith Drive area on Monday afternoon which reportedly involved up to 20 police vehicles attending.
Murphy is accused of shouting and swearing, brandishing a knife, making threats to kill three people – including two police constables – and threatening to harm himself, at his home in Keith Court on April 17.
On the same date in nearby Durris Drive, Murphy is also alleged to have shouted, uttered offensive remarks and made a threat to kill.
Sheriff Mungo Bovey released Murphy on bail subject to strict additional conditions on where he can go and who he can contact.
His next court date has been fixed for July.
Football farce
A Fife teenager was part of a mob which filled shutter doors of Ibrox stadium with expanding foam before an Old Firm game. Ryan Cross, 19, from Dunfermline ran straight into the arms of police, while covered in incriminating evidence.
‘Niggles’
A Perth man who threatened to slit his neighbours’ throats during a row about loud music has been ordered to stay out of trouble.
Martin McGregor appeared admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in a communal hallway at Nimmo Avenue on May 15 2020.
Fiscal Rebecca Kynaston said neighbours heard loud music coming from McGregor’s flat at about 8.40pm and then voices from the close.
McGregor, 49, shouted: “Come out, you b******s. I’m going to get you.
“I’m going to slit your throats. I’ll slit all your throats.”
When charged by police, he replied: “Bunch of f***ing liars.”
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said there had been ongoing “niggles” between the two households for some time.
“Both sides were making complaints about each other to Perth and Kinross Council,” she said.
Sheriff Paul Reid deferred sentence until July 19 for a good behaviour report.
Zoo row spills over
Fife Zoo director Reginald Knight, 70, was admonished after he shouted at his spurned son’s cheating wife. He admitted acting in a threatening and abusive manner towards the woman – a fellow zoo director – as a love triangle among staff grew nasty.
MP cash grab case adjourned
Lawyers acting for Natalie McGarry have asked prosecutors seeking £195,000 from her and her husband to wait on further inquiries into the couple’s finances.
Advocate Allan MacLeod claimed the defence forensic accountant is preparing a report on their spending over the last 12 years.
Prosecutors say the time spans the period between proceedings starting and the court making a confiscation decision.
Mr MacLeod told a confiscation hearing at Glasgow Sheriff Court: “It is a delicate situation – what we are talking about is a vast number of transactions over a 12-year period, we are not talking about one or two deposits being questioned.”
An earlier hearing was told that the Crown are seeking some of the cash from David Meikle, the former leader of Glasgow’s Conservative Party.
The court was also told McGarry’s bank account has been frozen since 2016.
Mr MacLeod said: “There are 29 pages and about 20 or so transactions on each page – it might be 1,000 transactions or so.
“The accountant has not named a specific date as he has to gather parties involved before a report is ready.”
He added the Crown’s benefit figure of £195,241.31 would be “dramatically reduced” at the next calling.
Ex-MP McGarry, 41, from Inverkeithing, is in prison for embezzling nearly £25,000 from two independence-supporting groups while acting as as office bearer for both.
The case was adjourned for 10 weeks.
Naked knifeman
A naked knifeman who stabbed a police dog and tried to slash its handler after attacking a St Andrews University student with an axe told officers: “I should’ve chopped her up.” Joshua Sutherland, 20, hit his former girlfriend on the head with the axe before stripping off and attacking police. He will be sentenced later.
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