A man has admitted causing a commotion at a Perthshire bakery.
Nigel Murray pled guilty by letter to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Auchterarder’s Sugar and Spice on August 21 last year.
The charge states the 55-year-old, from Blackford, shouted, swore and made threats to a retail worker.
His actions were likely to cause fear or alarm, the court heard.
Murray, of Ogilvie Road, was not at Perth Sheriff Court when his case called so his solicitor David Holmes tendered a guilty plea on his client’s behalf.
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC deferred sentence for background reports.
Police speeder
A police officer left his colleague and another driver injured after speeding through a red light and into the path of another car in Dundee. PC Kevin Ogierman caused the smash in the early hours of December 7 2022 on Strathmartine Road, at its junction with Clepington Road.
More contraband
An armed robber has had his sentence extended for the second time in three weeks after he was caught again with contraband at Perth Prison.
Nicholas McGurk was jailed for a terrifying raid on a fish and chip shop in Coupar Angus.
The 39-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court in early January and had another two months added to his nine-year jail term after admitting possession of a SIM card in June last year.
He returned via video link to admit having an illicit mobile and SIM card on September 14 and had another three months added to his sentence.
The court heard he was seen running between a number of cells on the second B-Hall landing that afternoon.
When officers went to his cell, he appeared to put something in his mouth.
He was told to spit it out but he swallowed it and it was not recovered.
However, guards did recover a Nokia phone and SIM card from his cell.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: “At the time he had the phone to speak with his mother.”
High-intensity, high-speed
A drink-drive suspect crashed his BMW after a “high intensity” 90mph police chase through rural Perthshire. Matthew Dorans tried to escape on foot after the pursuit but was caught trying to jump over a hedge.
Happy meal
Thousands of pounds worth of heroin was discovered after quick-thinking McDonald’s staff became suspicious of a woman in the drive-thru.
Reports have now been ordered for previous offender Janine Stewart, who was snared with the Class A drugs in the early hours of the morning.
Police were contacted after staff at the restaurant on Longtown Road asked the driver of a BMW Series 3, of which Stewart was a passenger, was asked to park.
Prosecutor Lee Corr told Dundee Sheriff Court: “Police attended and found Janine Stewart was within the passenger side of the vehicle.
“At about 12.30am she was detained for a search.
“Police seized a package containing 60.65g of heroin which was concealed within the front of her trousers.
“The valuation was £1,500 if sold in the form as found or £2,700 if broken down and sold in ‘tenner bags’.”
Stewart, a prisoner of HMP Polmont Brightons, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin, a Class A drug, on June 8 2023 at McDonald’s, Longtown Road.
Sheriff Paul Brown deferred sentence on the 49-year-old until March for reports to be prepared.
80 messages in one night
A paranoid domestic abuser from Arbroath deleted his partner’s social media followers, publicly berated her and bombarded her with 80 voicemails in one night during a campaign of harassment. James Walton repeatedly breached bail conditions by being in the woman’s company and making abusive remarks towards her.
Cord choke
A violent abuser who laughed after choking his partner with the cord of her dressing gown has been sent to prison for 17 months.
Cameron Murray, 32, subjected the woman to a terrifying ordeal following an argument on January 27 2022.
Dundee Sheriff Court previously heard how Murray, of Balgarvie Crescent in Cupar, blamed his partner for his lack of sleep and during a violent confrontation pushed and shoved her and struck her on the back of the head with an unknown item.
Depute fiscal Andrew Harding said: “The woman was aware she was on the floor with the dressing gown over her head and what appeared to be the cord of her dressing gown around her neck.
“She felt the cord around her neck tightening and the accused was behind her.
“The woman couldn’t breathe.
“She could hear the accused laughing and felt the accused kicking her on the back.
“The woman tried to get the accused off her by reaching behind and grabbing him but she didn’t know what she was grabbing.”
Police were eventually contacted and observed reddening around the woman’s neck.
She suffered bruising to the inside arm and a bruise to the right side of her chest.
Murray, who admitted assault, had superficial scrapes to his face and neck.
Dirty Tony
A convicted Fife paedophile was accused of breaching a strict court order with a trip to a family caravan break in Perthshire. Kenneth Bond, who called himself ‘Dirty Tony’ online, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life in 2019 and was meant to tell police whenever he was to spend time away from home. His trial failed to take place because witnesses were not present..
Squeezed throat
A Dunfermline man pushed a woman against a towel rail and squeezed her neck during an argument.
Sean Gorman, 23, pled guilty to the domestically-aggravated assault to injury at his home in Law Road on January 11 this year.
Prosecutor Katie Adams told Dunfermline Sheriff Court an argument took place shortly after midnight.
“The accused became aggressive to the complainer, poking her in the chest.
“He then pushed her on the body against a towel rail before placing his hands on her throat and squeezing tightly.
“The complainer did not lose consciousness but did pull the accused’s thumbs in order to lesson his grip.
“She managed to escape and contacted police.
“Officers, on arrival, noted she was visibly upset and had reddening to her neck”.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland deferred sentencing to obtain background reports and consider if a non-harassment order is required.
Gorman was bailed with a condition not to contact the woman.
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