Three Kirkcaldy siblings wound up in the dock together because an argument after a party ended with knives and a piece of wood.
18-year-old Faith Bancroft appeared at the town’s sheriff court to admit assaulting a female outside her Dunearn Drive home on May 7 last year by seizing her by the hair, engaging in a fight, striking her on the body with a knife and repeatedly punching her on the head to her injury.
She and her brothers Christian Bancroft, 19, also of Dunearn Drive, and 24-year-old Callum Carr, of Links Street, all admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, making violent threats, engaging in a struggle with the female and brandishing a knife.
Fiscal depute Sarah Smith told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court that following a party the night before at the complainer’s address, a dispute arose over social media.
The complainer appeared outside the Bancrofts’ home with a piece of wood in her possession so Faith Bancroft grabbed her and a fight broke out.
Carr got a knife from inside and during the fight, both females had possession of knives.
When police arrived, they found a knife bearing the complainers initials but she was released without charge.
All three first offenders are due back to be sentenced on August 6.
Prison plea fails
An already-imprisoned serial predator who sexually abused St Andrews University students while masquerading as an MOD employee taking post-Chernobyl disaster radiation samples has failed in a bid to avoid further prison time. John Beaumont sought to persuade the court his latest prison term should run concurrently to that being served since 2017 for similar offending but was given four years and eight months to run consecutively.
Dispute over racist terms
A woman has denied calling two dog walkers in Carnoustie “Polish b*****ds” but told police she “might have called them foreign f***ers”.
Shelley Vapurcu appeared in the dock at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit racially-aggravated conduct on the evening of January 26 this year.
She lashed out at a couple at the Barry Road public path when her own dog ran towards them, dragging the 36-year-old to the ground.
Unemployed Vapurcu allegedly shouted “Polish b*****ds” and “kick my dog again and see what happens”.
The couple contacted police and when officers traced Vapurcu, she denied making the anti-Polish remark but said she “might have called them foreign f***ers”.
Solicitor Kevin Hampton said: “She does not recall using the word Polish.
“They all live in the same area. Nothing has occurred since.”
Vapurcu, of Macdonald Smith Drive in Carnoustie, was ordered to be of good behaviour for six months.
Rapist robbed and beaten
A rapist was ambushed, attacked and robbed when he entered a woman’s bedroom at a house in Perth. John Kinloch was surprised by Richard McIntosh, who told him: “You are not getting sex. Stay where you are, I want your money.”
Drug-drive apprentice
An Angus trainee mechanic has been banned from driving after being caught with excess Delta-9-THC – cannabis – in his system (3mics/ 2) on December 2 last year.
Mike Henderson, 19, from the hamlet of Memus, was stopped by police as part of a routine check on Victoria Street in Forfar.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said: “He’s a trainee mechanic.
“He has quite candidly confirmed to fairly regular use of cannabis. He says it was in his system.”
Sheriff Derek Reekie fined him £400, plus a £20 victim surcharge and banned him from driving for a year.
Toddler mauled
A toddler needed 13 stitches in his face after being mauled by a Doberman in Dundee.
The two-year-old child’s mum told a court there was “blood everywhere” after the horrific attack at an address in the Fintry area in February 2023.
Teenager Lennon McKay is now awaiting sentence after he was convicted of being in charge of the dog, named Kera, while it was dangerously out of control.
Benefits cheat
A Dundee benefits cheat who scammed the public purse out of more than £33,000 has been placed on a curfew.
Cheryl Strachan, 34, of the city’s Cleghorn Street, previously appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit fraudulently obtaining £9,429 in income support and £22,688 child tax credit from the DWP between 2017 and 2020.
She knowingly failed to declare she was living with her partner, who was earning income through paid employment.
Fiscal depute Callum Gordon previously told the court Strachan, who received Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment, did not alert the DWP to the fact she had moved in with her partner.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown imposed a restriction of liberty order for nine months, keeping Strachan inside from 7pm to 7am daily.
Baton attack
A Fife man has been jailed after leaving his ex’s new partner needing staples in his head after a drink and drug-fuelled baton attack.
Jordan Doyle, 25, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court via an audio link from HMP Edinburgh to admit the April 10 2024 assault.
Fiscal depute Sarah Smith explained in the early afternoon on the day of the assault, police were called to reports of an initial altercation between Doyle and his eventual victim but no crime was established to have taken place.
At 2.30pm, the couple drove to a friend’s property in Kirkland Walk, where Doyle appeared and demanded the male leave the vehicle.
He began shouting “let’s go” and produced an extendable metal baton from his sleeve and began swinging it in a “frenzied” attack.
The man suffered three lacerations – 2cm, 3cm and 3cm in length – which were stapled shut.
When police arrested Doyle – on bail at the time – he said, “that’s bulls**t” but in court, he pled guilty to assault.
Solicitor David McLaughlin said: “Mr Doyle would like to express his regret and remorse towards the complainer.
“Mr Doyle had been consuming both alcohol and drugs, his judgement was significantly impaired.
“Regrettably, he has had a violent reaction…. I think he had been ruminating following the argument.
Sheriff John MacRitchie jailed Doyle for 14 months, backdated to April 23 when he was remanded.
He labelled Doyle’s offending as “appalling” and said the lack of more serious injuries was down to good fortune.
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