A Dundee car thief will be sentenced next month after admitting pinching a £18,000 Dacia Duster.
Overnight between September 13 and 14 last year, George Tracey took the 22-plate 4×4 from Charleston Drive in Dundee.
Fiscal depute Larissa Milligan told Dundee Sheriff Court the vehicle’s owner had bought it five months before.
The car was next seen on the forecourt of the Shell garage at Caird Park on Dundee’s Forfar Road, when Tracey, 22, of Finlaggan Crescent, filled up and left without paying.
On September 16 at 3.20am, a witness saw it being parked on St Fillan’s Road and three males running off.
Tracey’s DNA was found on the gearstick and he was arrested on Halloween.
He admitted theft.
His solicitor Ross Donnelly said his client had been “very heavily intoxicated” when the car was stolen and Tracey was not the driver at that time.
Sentencing was deferred until October 4 for a restriction of liberty order assessment.
Last moments recalled
A devoted husband tried to pull his wife out of the path of the out-of-control car which struck and killed them both, a court has heard. Harry Taggerty was seen to grasp the hand of wife Shirley in the seconds before being struck by a car driven by Liam McWatt in Glenrothes. McWatt is on trial accused of causing death by dangerous driving.
Mum raced to rescue
A pregnant woman phoned her mother during a terrifying drunken tirade by her boyfriend.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how the woman raced to her daughter’s Newhouse Road home after hearing her partner James Hutchison shouting in the background.
The 34-year-old admitted a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on February 23.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Hendry said: “The accused lost his job in February.
“In the words of the complainer, this created issues between them.”
At 2pm, Hutchison’s partner called her mother and said she was concerned her boyfriend had been drinking all day and went to bed a few hours later.
Later, Hutchison climbed into bed and the couple began arguing and he slapped her phone out of her hand.
Ms Hendry said: “The complainer struck the accused back in self defence.
“She began to get scared and left the room.”
Hutchison followed her and the woman said he pinned her to a bed but she managed to reach her phone to call her mother.
She could hear Hutchison shouting in the background: “You shouldn’t call your mum.”
Hutchison grabbed his keys and jacket, and walked out and was arrested the following day.
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said: “His position is that he cannot recall what the argument was about, but it came out of nothing.
“At least he had the sense to leave, rather than remain in the property.”
Sheriff Garry Sutherland ordered Hutchison, of Rannoch Road, to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to custody.
He was also placed on supervision for a year.
Crash footage
Dramatic video footage shows a teenage driver ploughing his car through a Fife garden and roadwork barriers before crashing into a parked vehicle. Jason Ward ended up in court over the dangerous driving episode in Bouprie Rise, Dalgety Bay, on April 30 last year and was found to be under the influence of drink or drugs at the time. Close scrutiny of the video reveals a squirrel’s dramatic escape.
Prison death
A sheriff has called for improved training for all prison staff after an inmate at HMP Perth died after accidentally overdosing on street valium.
Gary Ross, who was originally jailed for an axe attack on a police officer in Glasgow, was found dead in his C-Hall cell in March 2020.
A fatal accident inquiry has ruled the 34-year-old’s death could have been avoided if staff had strictly adhered to locking up procedures.
The inquiry heard face-to-face exchanges between staff and prisoners at night may have led to Ross’s situation to be detected sooner.
Ross was jailed for six years in 2008 for attempting to hit an officer with a hatchet.
He was handed a further six-year sentence in 2011 for his role in a prison riot.
The inquiry heard guards failed to get a response from Ross – who was not deemed a suicide risk – during night checks on March 20.
At around 8.30pm, one officer unlocked Ross’s cell door and briefly looked inside.
He believed Ross was sleeping and decided not to disturb him.
To comply with strict lock-up procedures, officers should have “collectively endeavoured to ensure that Mr Ross was safe, by seeing his face and engaging him in dialogue.”
Fellow inmates said earlier that day he appeared to be under the influence of drugs, staggering back to his cell and banging into a wall.
Staff raised the alarm at 8am the next day when another inmate went into Ross’s cell and found him unresponsive.
His cause of death was officially ruled as an accidental overdose following consumption of Etizolam and a prescribed drug Buprenorphine.
Sheriff John MacRitchie has recommended the Scottish Prison Service introduce a training regime for officers to avoid similar incidents.
He has called for “ongoing refresher training courses at regular intervals”.
The sheriff said that improved training across the estate “might realistically prevent other deaths in similar circumstances.”
Bestiality found
An Angus barman has admitted hoarding sick files including adults abusing young girls and engaging in sexual acts with dogs and horses. Rhys Falconer from Ferryden was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and will be sentenced later.
Grandad’s knife
A man caught carrying a knife in a Milnathort street said it had been a gift from his grandfather.
Kyle Richardson was searched by police in the town’s South Street on January 27 last year.
Perth Sheriff Court heard officers recovered a lock knife with a tw0-inch blade.
Richardson used the knife for fishing, his solicitor said.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland placed the 36-year-old, of Kirktoun Park, Ballingry, on supervision for six months, as a direct alternative to custody.
The knife was confiscated by the court.
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