A banned Brechin driver has admitted a string of offences after being pulled over in March.
Leon Eccles was brought from prison to Forfar Sheriff Court where he pled guilty to five charges.
On March 23 this year, the 29-year-old was caught driving on Wards Road, Parkview, Southesk Street and the A935 while disqualified and uninsured.
When he was apprehended on Montrose Street, he admitted having cannabis.
Eccles, of Parkview in Brechin, also admitted failing to identify himself as the driver when he was at West Bell Street HQ the following day.
Further, Eccles admitted a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour towards a retail worker at B&M in Forfar on November 7 last year, when he repeatedly shouted, swore and made derogatory remarks.
Sheriff Eric Brown deferred sentencing to August 15 and imposed an interim driving ban.
‘Role model’
A student drug-dealer caught with cocaine and cannabis worth nearly £20,000 has been described as a “role model” after taking steps to turn his life around. Duncan Scott was not further punished by a court after waiting more than a year to be sentenced.
Crack ‘sweeping the jurisdiction’
Crack cocaine is “sweeping the jurisdiction,” a Fife court has heard.
Defence lawyer Calum Harris made the remark at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court during a plea in mitigation for 41-year-old Craig Thomson.
Thomson, along with Claire Brady, also 41, appeared in the dock to admit stealing from an insecure Ford Fiesta in Kinghorn’s High Street on September 7 last year.
They took clothes, cassette tapes and CDs, screen wash, car polish and an umbrella.
Prosecutor Amy Robertson told the court police were contacted anonymously by someone who saw Thomson “stuffing items from the car down his trousers” and both perpetrators carrying Co-op bags for life.
Defence lawyer Mr Harris said the offence predates the imposition of a two-year drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) on Thomson in December last year.
Mr Harris said Thomson, of Duncan Street, Kirkcaldy, committed the crime out of desperation to fund a drug habit.
The lawyer said his client is still dealing with addiction to crack cocaine, a drug which he said is “sweeping this jurisdiction”.
Defence lawyer Christine Hagan said Brady, of Orchard Road, Kinghorn, had drug issues but has been improving.
Sheriff Robert More deferred sentencing on Thomson until a scheduled DDTO review date in August and for good behaviour and fined Brady a total of £85.
Dine-and-dash duo
A serial dine-and-dash duo have admitted a string of sneaky strikes in restaurants around Dundee, Angus and Perth. Sean Dempsey, 41, and 34-year-old Kerry Anne Smith pled guilty to defrauding establishments throughout July, costing them nearly £700 in total.
Tourist attack
A tourist who attacked her partner during an emotionally charged visit to Perthshire has been placed on supervision for a year.
Leeds care worker Laura Olbison visited Scotland to celebrate her birthday and scatter her grandmother’s ashes.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the 26-year-old stayed at Perth’s Travelodge with her girlfriend of two years on April 20 this year and woken by the sound of her partner popping balloons she had arranged for birthday celebrations.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Paterson: “They argued throughout the day.”
The court heard how Olbison later grabbed her girlfriend and put an arm around her neck.
She tried to knock her to the floor, then bit her on the left side of her face.
In the afternoon, while driving back from the Knock in Crieff, where she scattered the ashes, Olbison seized her partner by the throat and headbutted her.
Police officers were called and found Olbison’s partner “visibly upset” with a notable bitemark on her face.
The court heard the couple were still together.
Sheriff William Wood told first offender Olbison: “Hopefully this is the first and last time you appear in court.
“But you must understand this relationship is not going to continue if this is the way you behave.”
Pest compensation
A sex pest has been ordered to pay compensation to a woman he molested at a service helping Perth’s homeless people. Barry Thomas, 48, was caught on camera pestering his victim, before pursuing her through doors and down corridors.
Businessman banned
A businessman who drove carelessly at a Fife motorway exit has been banned from driving for six months and fined £400.
Rick Balderson, 40, had already accrued 10 penalty points on his driving licence before being sentenced this week at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
Balderson, of Messingham Lane, Greetwell, North Lincolnshire, pled guilty to careless driving on the M90 northbound at its junction with the A92 exit slip on September 1 last year.
Prosecutor Annie Henderson told the court another motorist driving north on the motorway between junction 2 (Pitreavie interchange) and 3 (Halbeath interchange) became aware of Balderson’s car tailgating him in the right lane.
The motorist, an advanced driver, slowed to allow a gap between himself and the car in front to prevent sudden changes in speed and direction.
On approaching the slip road to the junction with the A92, Balderson drove into the left lane and undertook two vehicles, moved onto the chevrons, then onto the M90 hard shoulder, undertakook another vehicle and rejoined the motorway.
The other motorist said he was travelling at 70mph and estimates Balderson was driving 30-to-40mph faster than him, the fiscal said.
Defence lawyer Amy Harley said her client was driving in Scotland for the first time on holiday, did not know the road, realised he was taking the wrong exit and rejoined the motorway.
She said: “He accepts he was careless and holds his hands up.”
The lawyer said Balderson has a successful business with more than 35 employees which operates over England and Wales.
Sheriff Neil Kinnear gave Balderson six penalty points, meaning he loses his licence due to exceeding the maximum 12 allowed.
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