A champagne-swigging driver who crawled past Forfar Police Station in his car at 10mph has been disqualified.
Latvian national Edgars Dovganics, of the town’s Glenogil Terrace, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit driving carelessly while under the influence of alcohol.
On November 26, shortly after 3am, the first offender repeatedly swerved across the road at low speed on Forfar’s West High Street.
After being pulled over, he told officers he had drunk champagne with his girlfriend at a party six hours earlier.
When he was taken to West Bell Street HQ in Dundee to be breathalysed, he provided a “breath difference.”
Accordingly, the 34-year-old was not charged under specific drink-driving legislation, and avoided the mandatory minimum ban of 12 months.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said: “He had been drinking.”
The court heard farm worker Dovganics, who was aided in the dock by an interpreter, has lived in the UK for 15 years.
Sheriff Krista Johnston imposed an eight-month driving ban and fined him £220 plus a £20 victim surcharge.
Midnight safe raid
A Perth pub worker caught on camera stealing £1,550 in a midnight safe raid has been ordered by a court to repay his bosses. Gary Stewart was seen on CCTV creeping into the city centre Foundry bar after last orders.
Seconds on screen ‘irrelevant’
A Dunfermline man who downloaded hundreds of child abuse images has been placed on the Sex Offenders Registers for five years and told to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work.
Stuart Morris appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to downloading the indecent images at an address in Blairhall, between February 27 2020 and October 28 2021.
The 49-year-old, of Woodmill Road, also previously admitted having a mini-flare gun without holding a firearms certificate on December 9 2021 and being in possession of cannabis on the same date.
Sheriff Susan Duff pointed out there was a total of 623 indecent images and 18 videos, including nine at category A – the most graphic kind.
The sheriff said although the prosecution accepts he only viewed the images for seconds, this was “completely irrelevant”.
“You accessed images, downloaded them and viewed them.
“Appalling filming and photography of children being sexually exploited happens because people – you – want to see these images”.
Morris will also be on offender supervision for 18 months as a direct alternative to custody.
Cocaine cash grab
A Dundee events manager caught taking part in a drug operation has been told to hand back more than £40,000 profit she allegedly made peddling cocaine. Desiree Doogan supplied the Class A drug in the city for four years.
Housebreakers
A pair of Forfar housebreakers have been jailed after admitting their roles in a desperate Montrose raid.
Michael Stewart, 38, and Nicholas Johnstone, 40, appeared from custody at Forfar Sheriff Court where they were each jailed for ten months.
Both admitted breaking into a flat in Queen Street on June 2 last year, while on bail.
Johnstone, of Archies Park, also admitted possessing a knife as he left through the common stairwell.
Stewart,of Glenclova Terrace, pled guilty to another charge of making “obscene” sexual remarks at a female PC when he was detained.
The pair were spotted crawling into the flat after breaking a temporary wooden panel from the front door and leaving with three bags.
They stole a baseball bat, medication, money and personal belongings.
Stewart was later picked up by police and while in custody at West Bell Street HQ, made lewd comments to a female constable.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said Stewart intends to move to Arbroath when liberated and Johnstone plans to move to the Pitlochry area.
Sheriff Krista Johnston described both men’s criminal records as “terrible”.
Privates on parade
A former Leuchars soldier has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register after he sent a picture of his private parts to an ex-partner’s young sister. Ex-squaddie Josh Reed, who has now left the armed forces, committed the offence while stationed at Leuchars base in February 2021.
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