A man waved a replica handgun out of the window of a moving car on one of Fife‘s busiest roads.
Alan Berry was seen with the air weapon, which prosecutors say had the appearance of a real handgun.
He was waving it out the window of a car on the A92 between Dunfermline and Glenrothes in July last year.
He was found guilty of acting in a threatening and abusive manner following a trial.
His solicitor said a social work report showed he had “shown insight into the feelings of the other people in their car”.
The 39-year-old, of Ivanhoe Rise, Livingston, was fined £500.
Rewind rapist
A sex attacker who raped a woman at a Perthshire music festival has been jailed for 12 years. Bruce Storie, 54, from Kinross, attacked his victim at Rewind Scotland at Scone Palace in Perth in July 2019 and subjected another woman to torture with a heated metal bar.
Blighted by drugs since 5-years-old
A man whose life has been blighted by drugs since childhood went on a bizarre theft spree which culminated in him breaking into a car and stealing lip balm.
Charles Warwick was “introduced to drugs at the age of five” according to his lawyer, and he has multiple convictions spanning years.
The 39-year-old narrowly avoided a prison sentence after a court heard he is now the “most stable he’s been in years” following intervention and regular drug testing.
On September 4 2020, Warwick broke into a padlocked shed, stealing a vacuum cleaner, bikes, tools, clothes and fishing gear.
He then picked his way into a locked car on Newburgh High Street.
He admitted pilfering camping equipment, money and a lip balm from the parked vehicle.
Defence solicitor Mike Short said: “He was introduced to drugs by his mum, at the age of five – cannabis.
“He has been stable now for some time, this is the longest period of stability he has ever had.”
Warwick, of Alexander Street, East Weymss, is subject to a drug treatment order, which means he has to provide regular “clean” samples proving he is substance-free.
Sentencing him to a two-year supervision order and a six-month curfew, Sheriff Paul Brown said: “You have clearly passed the threshold for custody here.
“I am told by social work you have been taking part in a drug treatment order.
“As such I will impose a community-based order but this is a direct alternative to custody.
Followed through on threats
The oldest member of a gang of Dundee cannabis dealers soiled himself when police arrived to search his flat. Steven Bracy, 56, then stripped naked in a police van and smeared both himself and the vehicle’s interior with faeces. He, Kenneth Nicoll, 30 and 20-year-old Nikodem Szafran were found in a flat with cannabis worth up to £11,500 and almost £1000 in cash.
Mouth full of crack and heroin
A Dundonian caught with crack cocaine and heroin in prison has been placed on a curfew.
Scott Mitchell previously admitted possessing both Class A drugs while an inmate at HMP Perth on April 5 2022.
At Perth Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Stephanie Hendry said the 45-year-old was reluctant to be searched before entering the visiting room and prison officers saw him stuff something in his mouth.
After restraining him, Mitchell spat out the package of crack cocaine with a prison value of £1,600 and heroin worth £315 in jail.
Solicitor David Holmes explained Mitchell was released in August and has since turned his life around.
Sheriff William Wood placed Mitchell, of Cunningham Street, on a 7pm to 7am curfew for 23 weeks.
He said: “I appreciate that you’ve come a long way so I’m not going to send you back to prison.
“It still needs to be dealt with. An admonition is not an option.
“There is talk of you being a changed man. I do hope it’ll remain the case.”
Machete man
Kai Fekkes, 20, from Dundee ignored a court order to stay away from his father when he turned up at his door with a machete in a briefcase. He had been bailed with an order not to approach his dad following an earlier violent incident but almost immediately returned to their flat with the weapon.
Racism and violence
A racism ranter threatened to torch a Coupar Angus shop and smashed an employee’s wing mirrors.
Daniel Hughes also abused police and NHS staff at PRI after being arrested on another occasion.
The 32-year-old was brought from HMP Perth – where he has been remanded since May 15 – to Perth Sheriff Court to be sentenced, having previously admitted both offences.
He admitted entering the Coupar Angus Convenience Store on George Street on November 15 last year and acting in a threatening or abusive manner.
At the till, Hughes stated “Romanians are idiots” and was asked to leave.
Outside, he said: “F*** the shop, I’m going to put it on fire.”
He vandalised an employee’s car, smashing both wing mirrors.
Hughes also admitted behaving in a threatening manner at PRI when he was taken there by police en route to West Bell Street HQ for matters no longer before court.
While being treated for drug consumption, he called police paedophiles, retards, scumbags and piggie b*****ds.
He added: “Yous are all the same, police, nurses, bunch of f***ing animals.”
Hughes also told police: “Every time I see your car, I’m gonna pay someone to smash it to pieces.”
Solicitor David Holmes said Hughes, of Allan Street in Blairgowrie, suffered mental health difficulties and PTSD.
Sheriff William Wood imposed a prison sentence of 14 weeks – already served – and placed him under supervision for a year and on curfew for 12 weeks.
Hughes must also pay the car’s owner £100 compensation.
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