A Perth man has appeared in court accused of sending obscene messages to children.
David Smith faces two charges of indecent communication with youngsters, aged between 13 and 16.
The 51-year-old made no plea during the brief, private hearing at Perth Sheriff Court.
Smith and was released on bail.
A date for his next court appearance has still to be scheduled.
Fraud conviction appeal
A Perthshire businessman has vowed to clear his name after being convicted of fraud and placed on curfew. Murray Wilkinson was found guilty of fraudulently obtaining £100k from the Energy Savings Trust when he applied for a loan, claiming he had purchased three hybrid electric vehicles for his company. He has appealed.
‘Self-defence’ razor
A 50-year-old Methil man who had a makeshift razor blade for “self-defence” has been given a 160-day curfew.
Francis Jarrett appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to plead guilty to possessing the blade without reasonable excuse or authority in the town’s Wellesley Road on March 31 this year.
The court heard police were contacted and traced Jarrett, who told them he had the weapon for self-defence.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith told the court the blade was glued into a plastic case and could be opened and closed.
Defence lawyer David Cranston said Jarrett, of Herriot Crescent, was genuinely paranoid he might be attacked by people with previous ill-will towards him.
Jarrett was already subject to a curfew.
Filmed abuse
George McGillvary, 60, from Inverkeithing, is behind bars for sexually assaulting two women and taking photos and video during one attack on an unconscious victim. He denied the crimes and will be sentenced later.
Mud skid crash
18-year-old driver Isla Mulholland was caught at almost double the drink-drive limit (128mgs/ 67) after crashing into a wall in Fife.
She lost control on a single track road near Cupar on November 27 last year, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
Prosecutors dropped a charge the teenager, of Cortachy Avenue, Carron, drove carelessly prior to the accident.
The student chose to appear without legal representation and said: “I think I made a stupid mistake.
“It was a single track road. It was a 60 (mph) and I went 40 and didn’t see the bend from the darkness.
“The mud on the road caused me to skid.”
When asked by Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon why she chose to drive instead of taking a taxi, Mulholland replied: “Because I was being selfish and stupid”.
She was disqualified from driving for 16 months, which can be reduced if she completes the drink-drive rehabilitation scheme. She was also fined £200.
Dislodged breathing tube
A crack cocaine addict dislodged his mother’s life-saving breathing tube as he attacked her in her Dundee home. Reece Cuthbert admitted assaulting his COPD-suffering mother, as well as causing his parents fear and alarm by entering their property uninvited, acting aggressively and demanding money from them.
Good behaviour
Teenage ecstasy dealer Brendan Speed has been admonished after successfully completing a structured deferred sentence.
The 19-year-old was caught peddling hundreds of pounds worth of drugs from his home in Crieff when police swooped on his flat after a tip-off about a pre-planned deal.
Officers were alerted after one of then-16-year-old Speed’s customers blabbed to another person about arranging to buy £20 of MDMA.
Speed appeared at Perth Sheriff Court in March last year and admitted being concerned in the supply of ecstasy between February 18 and 20 2021.
He returned to court for final sentencing this week, having been placed on a structured deferred sentence.
Sheriff William Gilchrist was told Speed had made good progress and engaged with the Right Track programme for young offenders, as well as completing 262 hours of unpaid work.
Admonishing him, the sheriff said: “You have a record now so if you were to revert to this kind of behaviour again you might not be treated like this next time.
“You have to stay out of trouble.”
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