A sheriff has ordered a man not to delete CCTV footage that could be key to an attempted murder investigation.
William Jeffrey is now subject to a bail condition preventing him from amending or deleting footage linked to premises on Strathmartine Road.
The 48-year-old is charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards police officers at a property on the street on July 19.
It is alleged Jeffrey shouted, swore, adopted an aggressive demeanour and made violent threats towards police.
A second charge alleges Jeffrey repeatedly engaged in a struggle with two police officers “in order to evade lawful arrest”.
Jeffrey, of Kibble Close in Kirkcaldy, appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court in connection with the allegations.
Marley Williams, 24, and 20-year-old Jayden Robertson are remanded in custody over the alleged attempted murder of James Cooper, 38, on the street.
Both men face allegations of pursuing Mr Cooper with knives before driving over him with a car on July 9.
Sheriff George Way fixed a case management hearing for September after solicitor Ross Bennett asked for Jeffrey’s case to be continued without plea.
As part of his bail order, Jeffrey must not amend or erase any CCTV footage held on a CCTV system relevant to the Strathmartine Road premises.
In particular, he must not amend or erase any of the CCTV footage captured between 10pm on July 8 and up to and including 2am on July 9.
‘Conquer your demons’
A woman who attacked a pregnant stranger on a Dundee bus and lashed out at an off-duty police officer with a wine bottle was told by a sheriff, “conquer your demons”. Sheriff George Way told Natalie Hawes: “You are risking going to prison for a very long time.”
Crossbow confiscation
A Bridge of Earn man has had his crossbow confiscated after he mentioned it in a series of menacing emails to social workers.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how Matthew Noble, who has autism, is supported by the charity Autism Initiatives UK.
The 28-year-old was told in 2022 he could only have dealings with male social workers due to “forming an unfounded belief that a female member of staff was romantically attracted to him.”
Noble had also expressed misogynistic views, Sheriff Clair McLachan was told.
Prosecutors said he took exception to this and in emails to social workers, wrote about having a crossbow.
He wrote: “You have left me only a single option left, eliminate the problem with destructive and harmful means.
“If you don’t stop fighting me things will get a hell of a lot worse.”
He added: “That crossbow was supposed to be a message to leave me the hell alone.”
The messages were reported to police, who executed a search warrant on his Clayton Road home and the Cobra-brand crossbow was seized.
“It’s all just a misunderstanding,” he told officers.
Noble pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner to social workers between October 4 and 21 2022.
Noble, representing himself, said the court process had affected his mental health and “it’s got to the point where I no longer have the energy to fight.”
He described the emails as a “cry for help”.
Sheriff McLachan admonished Noble, noting that there had been no more emails or further trouble for nearly two years.
The Crown formally forfeited the crossbow.
Last chance
A crooked “hot tub salesman” and fake workman has been given a final chance to avoid more jail time. Edward Townsley, 32, previously pled guilty to seven charges of fraud as he sought to fund a spiralling drug habit.
‘No rhyme or reason’
A Glenrothes woman crashed while almost three times the drink-drive limit.
Susan Michie, 42, was found standing next to her crashed car shortly after 4am on April 14 by another motorist and immediately told him she had been drinking.
Danielle Stringer, defending, said her client had been going through a difficult period in her life but there was “no rhyme or reason” for getting behind the wheel.
She admitted driving over the limit (134mgs/ 50) and without insurance.
The court heard Michie, of Abbotsford Drive, has not been driving the car after losing her job and still has four years of outstanding finance on it.
Sheriff Derek Reekie told Michie the crash must have been a wake up call for her, banned her from driving for 16 months and fined her a total of £760.
Battered face
Paranoid thug Luke MacDonald has been jailed for a “ferocious” assault at a Perth homeless unit that left his victim with multiple broken facial bones. The 23-year-old was seen leaving his victim’s room with his hands soaked in blood.
Hit car and bin with van
A Forfar drink driver who crashed his flatbed van while almost five times over the limit outside his home on Lordburn Place on July 25 this year has been banned from the road for three years and fined a total of £710.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, Steven Mitchell admitted driving with excess alcohol (106 mics/ 22).
Fiscal depute Stuart Hamilton said: “A dog walker saw the accused driving the vehicle.
“It collided with a motor car. The vehicle has then reversed and collided with a bin.”
Mitchell, 39, moved to the passenger seat and began smoking a cigarette.
Solicitor Nick Markowski said his client had decided to move the van after drinking in the house.
The court heard Mitchell was convicted of drink-driving in 2021 and of drunkenly being in charge of a motor vehicle in a public place in 2009.
Shamed officer lost job
A shamed Perthshire police officer who sexually assaulted four women on the night he was hailed for being a hero has lost his job. David Jones groped his shocked victims while dancing to an ABBA tribute band at the Scottish First Aid awards bash at Glasgow’s Radisson Blu hotel in March 2023.
£10k window claim
A thug who smashed a window at a Fife supermarket has not had to foot the reported £10,000 repair bill.
Gavin Miller, whose present whereabouts are unknown, was sentenced in his absence at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
He previously admitted breaking the window at Aldi in Ferrand Road, Kirkcaldy with a brick.Solicitor Zander Flett said the £10,000 cost is “probably speculation”, adding: “It’s not clear.
“The suspicion seemed to be the crack is on the inside of a reinforced panel.”
Sheriff Garry Sutherland fined the 29-year-old £200, plus a £10 victim surcharge.
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