A benefit cheat has admitted scamming the public purse of almost £10,000 after failing to disclose her student income.
Victoria Nixon appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court to plead guilty to conning the DWP by failing to reveal a change in her circumstances.
The 48-year-old from Fintry pled guilty to defrauding the government department between September 2017 and June 2019, receiving £9,339.43 to which she was not entitled.
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon deferred sentencing for reports until September 5.
Perjury probe?
A sheriff has questioned whether Perth man Darryn Calder, 35, should face perjury charges after he denied assaulting workers at a city nightclub during a trial, then admitted the attack to social workers. Sheriff David Hall said: “He misled the court. I am going to ask the procurator fiscal depute to… check if the Crown considers taking any further action against you in relation to this matter.”
Sex pest breach
A woman who tried to get a man to pleasure her at knifepoint as he walked through a Burntisland underpass has been jailed for breaching a court order.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court previously heard Emma McIntyre asked the man if he wanted to “go down on her” and when he declined, she pulled out a large blade and told him to “come here”.
Two months earlier, McIntyre walked into a café in the town wearing nothing but a pair of socks and told shocked customers she was “looking to book an orgy”.
Days before this, in a different restaurant, she engaged in a solo sex act in front of a man and child.
The court heard that on another occasion McIntyre repeatedly sexually assaulted a woman by grabbing her breasts over her clothing.
The 54-year-old was placed on a supervision order in February.
However, after failing to keep to the conditions she was recalled to the court.
After admitting the breach, she was sentenced to three months imprisonment.
She was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years.
Tesco tantrum
A Fife woman threatened and attacked supermarket staff before physically assaulting police officers. Michelle Vallance,38, was already banned from the Tesco supermarket on Market Street, St Andrews when she kicked off there in November 2021 and continued her violent behaviour at police HQ in Dundee.
Fraud claim
A businessman has appeared in court accused of diverting nearly £150,000 of business loans into his own account.
Marine services expert David Kellas is alleged to have formed a fraudulent scheme while director of Aberfeldy-based Tec Offshore.
The 65-year-old is accused of obtaining money from the company and an outside investor.
Kellas, of Church View, Winchburgh, West Lothian, is alleged to have diverted around £147,000 into a bank account controlled by him – rather than the Tec Offshore account – between May 22 2017 and July 26 2019.
He pled not guilty when he appeared by Sheriff William Wood and Perth Sheriff Court on Thursday.
The case was continued to August 31.
Crack dealer
A crack dealer is back behind bars after he was caught with hundreds of pounds worth of heroin between his buttocks. Donald Stevenson, 44, was caught with a hidden stash of 18 wraps of “brown substances” during a strip search in the Dundee police station custody suite.
Stun gun
A 39-year-old Leslie man convicted of illegally possessing a stun gun at home has been jailed for 15 months.
John Arnott, of Bank Place, had denied the charge during a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court last month.
Evidence was heard the stun gun was found in a drawer in his kitchen during a police search.
He claimed to know nothing about it but a jury unanimously convicted him of being in possession of the prohibited weapon, contrary to the Firearms Act 1968, on June 15 2020.
The court heard Arnott is in jail for a year on July 17 at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court in relation to a breach of the peace and culpable and reckless conduct and he appeared for sentencing by video link from prison.
Defence lawyer Iain McCafferty said there was no suggestion of the stun gun being used “out and about” and it is a matter of agreement it did not function.
At an earlier court hearing, Arnott admitted a second charge of being in possession of 9g of cannabis on the same date.
Sheriff Charles Macnair told Arnott: “As far as the stun gun is concerned, whilst it was not working the court has no idea of how long that was for, or indeed what it would take to put it into working condition.
“The possession of prohibited weapons is a very serious matter and will not be tolerated and it must be made clear to anyone tempted to have possession of such a weapon that serious consequences will flow from such possession”.
The sheriff sentenced Arnott to 15 months in prison, to run consecutively to his existing jail term.
He was also fined £600 in relation to the drugs charge.
Compensation
A grieving widow whose “heroic” RAF veteran husband died after his bicycle struck a bin lorry in rural Kinross-shire has been awarded more than £1.3 million in compensation. Jurors concluded the amount 55-year-old Katrina Ronald, from Kelty, should receive from Perth and Kinross Council be reduced due to her husband William being 58% at fault for the accident.
‘Vandal’ attacked
A Leven man who threatened to “slash” someone who told him to stop vandalising a bus stop has been ordered to pay his victim compensation.
The man was walking through Glenrothes bus station when he confronted George Wishart, 23, who cut him with a multi-tool and had to be restrained by onlookers.
Solicitor Martin Maguire, defending, said Wishart had a multitool knife for use it in the course of his work as a welder and he was on his way home from work, after drinking, at the time.
Wishart, of Linwood Gardens, admitted the November 29 assault and was ordered to pay £400 in compensation and complete 80 hours of unpaid work and 10 months supervision.
For the latest court cases across Tayside and Fife, join our Courts Facebook page.
