A reckless Fife swordsman left a pregnant woman badly hurt on Boxing Day.
John McHale, 36, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit culpable and reckless behaviour on December 26 2021.
McHale, of Cartmore Road, Lochgelly, pled guilty to an amended charge of striking a pregnant woman on the hand with a sword at a property in Methil, leaving her “severely injured, permanently impaired and permanently disfigured”.
Sentencing was deferred for reports and an agreed narrative to be prepared and McHale’s bail was continued.
Dealer caught in international crackdown
A major drugs drugs operation was broken when Dundee dealer Aaron Bradford was caught in the EncroChat criminal network crackdown. Bradford came to police attention when the international encrypted burner phone system was cracked by police. He did not have drugs in his home but other incriminating evidence was found and he faces a lengthy spell behind bars.
Daily assaults at party flat
A vulnerable young woman with autism was subjected to near daily assaults at a “party flat” in Perth.
The woman was left bruised by cigarette lighters being thrown at her head and strikes with mobile phones.
Aimee Strathie, 20, appeared at the city’s sheriff court and admitted the repeated assaults at a property – described in court as a hang-out spot for youths to take drugs and drink alcohol – in South Methven Street.
The court heard that on multiple occasions between October 5 and 30 2022, Strathie assaulted the woman to her injury by striking her on the body with mobile phones and lighters.
Prosecutor Stuart Hamilton said: “The complainer had known the accused for about a year.
“She was the ex-partner of her current boyfriend.”
He said: “The complainer was unable to provide specific dates but said the assaults were an almost daily occurrence.
“They were random and always at the request of the accused’s partner.”
Mr Hamilton said: “The complainer did not know how to respond to the incident and tried to laugh them off.”
Eventually, the woman’s mother found out what had been happening and called police.
Solicitor Billy Somerville, defending Strathie, of Perth’s Jura Street, said: “A lot of young people were using this flat to meet up, party and take drugs.
“Ms Strathie is in a totally different place now. She is now over all that.”
Sheriff William Gilchrist deferred sentence for her to be of good behaviour and said: “I will give you six months to demonstrate that nothing like this ever happens again.”
Booze-laced soft drinks
Nurse Nicola Kerr was caught in her car while intoxicated after a nightshift in Angus and said blamed Covid had destroyed her sense of taste so she did not detect alcohol in the booze-laced soft drinks she had been swigging from. The 41-year-old from Laurencekirk said she had grabbed the bottles from a stash from a football supporters’ bus.
Terrorised motorists
A man repeatedly struck vehicles with a metal rod during a “terrifying” rampage on a busy Dundee street.
Tyler Kane, 20, stood on the middle of Broughty Ferry Road and challenged people to a fight, as well as throwing a roof tile during the frightening episode.
A sheriff told Kane he is in “deep trouble” before ordering reports ahead of sentencing.
The court heard that at around 9pm on the day in question, Kane was seen walking in the middle of the road and bringing traffic to a halt as a result.
He shouted: “Come on then, get out of the f****** car” at a motorist who tried unsuccessfully to drive around him.
Prosecutor Sarah High told Dundee Sheriff Court: “The accused approached the vehicle and punched the passenger window.
“The occupants were terrified.
“The accused then struck a motorcycle with the pole on a number of occasions.”
The glass from the offside mirror of the car had been shattered by Kane, who ran off, chased by police.
Kane, of Broughty Ferry Road, pled guilty to brandishing a metal rod, shouting, swearing, challenging people to fight, repeatedly punching a car window, placing the vehicle’s occupants in a state of fear and alarm, throwing a roof tile at passing vehicles and repeatedly striking a motorcycle with the rod while making violent threats.
Sheriff Gregor Murray deferred sentencing for social work reports to be prepared.
He said: “I appreciate you are young. I appreciate you may have taken something but you can consider yourself in deep trouble.
“This must have been utterly terrifying for the people involved.”
Underworld underwear
Gangland henchman Robert Notman, jailed last year for trying to extort money from the parents of a Dundee drug addict, attacked a guard at Perth Prison. He lashed out because he was upset the prison had been unable to supply him with clean underwear.
Knife in street
A roofer pulled out a kitchen knife in the street after assaulting his cousin in Kincardine.
Christopher Davis, 39, tried to punch the man and headbutted him in the face as he was ushered out of his Silver Street home following an argument in the early hours of July 3 last year.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard Davis, who lives in the same street, had earlier been invited in for a drink by his cousin.
Prosecutor Amy Robertson told the court that each swing made by Davis was “way off and did not make contact” and the subsequent headbutt caused no injury.
The fiscal depute said after he had been ejected: “Occupants of the property watched him on the Ring doorbell and out of the window, saw the accused with a large kitchen knife in his hand”.
Police were contacted and Davis was arrested in the street a short time later.
During the arrest, Davis shouted and swore at police and made comments including “I will f***ing kill you” and referred to one female officer as a “fat cow”.
He was taken to Forth Valley Hospital to have a hand injury treated.
Davis admitted assault, unlawfully having a knife and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
His lawyer said he had sought solace in alcohol due to personal circumstances and after being invited for a drink by his cousin, “things went off the rails”.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland said he had sympathy having read a letter provided by Davis and sentenced him to 60 hours of unpaid work.
Vile threats
A drunken thug spat at police officers in Dundee while claiming to be positive for Hepatitis C, before making sexually violent threats. Andrew Adamson, 32, has now been locked up after a string of abusive incidents involving police officers and his former partner.
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