A paedophile who breached his sexual harm order by traveling from England to Dundee without telling police has been fined.
Andrew Scoffield was holed-up at the Strathmore Avenue Travelodge after running away from his wife and the supervision of Kent police last year.
The 51-year-old was deemed a medium-risk offender by an English court and had been handed a suspended 12-month sentence after being convicted of engaging in sexual communications with a child.
He also purchased a mobile phone, which was against the strict conditions of his court order.
Scoffield, whose address given in court was Court Street, Dundee, admitted purchasing a mobile phone and failing to notify police he had changed address between February 7 and 9 2023.
The court previously heard he has struck up a new relationship in Dundee.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown fined him £395.
School worker pervert
An IT worker arrested at an Angus school for having sick child abuse images has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register. Ronald Graham was caught with more than 7,000 images of children being sexually abused on his home computer. He was also placed on supervision and given unpaid work.
Phone pole stabber
A Kinghorn man who caught on camera near a shop repeatedly stabbing a telephone post with a knife has avoided a prison sentence.
Zak Paterson, 32, previously pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Cardenden Road, Cardenden, on March 3 last year.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard a witness arriving at 7am to open the shop was informed by a delivery driver there was a knife – 12cm long with an 11cm handle – lodged into a wooden telephone pole close to the entrance.
Police were contacted and a member of staff reviewed CCTV, which showed Paterson exiting the store the night before and removing the knife from his clothing.
Prosecutors said the footage captured him repeatedly using the knife to stab the wooden telephone post.
Paterson, of Castle Rigg, Kinghorn – who has around 30 previous convictions -appeared in the dock for sentencing.
Defence lawyer David McLaughlin said it was a bizarre incident and linked to drug and alcohol misuse.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland told Paterson his criminal record does not help, though noted the rate of offending has slowed and handed him a three-month structured deferred sentence to give him the chance to get help.
His case will next call on March 2 next year.
Wat-er way to escape
A former Gogglebox researcher who sparked a major rescue operation after abandoning her car on the A9 and plunging into a nearby loch has been banned from the road. Drink-driver Rachel Barnes tried to escape paramedics by stripping to her underwear and swimming in Loch Faskally.
Heavy house move
A van driver caught behind the wheel of an overladen vehicle has escaped punishment.
James Brett was pulled over by police on the A9 at Denmarkfield, north of Perth.
The city’s sheriff court heard officers were concerned about the weight of the 44-year-old’s Ford Transit Leader Ecoblu.
They escorted the van to a nearby DVSA testing centre, where it was found to be overweight by nearly 30%.
Brett, of Alness, pled guilty to driving his van with a gross weight of 4,530kg, above the permitted limit of 3,500kg.
His solicitor David Holmes questioned why his client had been asked to appear in person.
He said: “He and his wife were moving house after 15 years and had loaded the van with their possessions.
“He’s very sorry for the offence but I’m not quite sure why he has to be here.”
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC admonished Brett and told him he was free to leave.
Till-dipper took a chance
A Fife shopkeeper who stole thousands from her employers of decades must repay the cash she stole. Elizabeth Kinnaird helped herself to scratch cards and £6,000 from the Premier Store on Leven Road in Lundin Links.
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