A man who allegedly absconded from HMP Castle Huntly has appeared in court.
Martin Jackson is accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The 33-year-old made no plea during a brief, private hearing at Perth Sheriff Court.
It is alleged that Jackson went missing from the Tayside jail on Wednesday evening.
He was remanded and is expected to make a second follow-up appearance at the same court next week.
Spitting mad
A woman who drunkenly spat in a police officer’s face after being stopped from fleeing in a car must perform unpaid work.
A quick-thinking resident on Blyth Street managed to pull the keys out of the ignition after Danielle Gaffar crashed a car.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how Gaffar was seen “staggering around” clutching a bottle of alcohol before getting into the vehicle after a house party.
Gaffar, 23, admitted failing to provide a specimen of breath to police and attacking PC Evan Wilde on February 23 this year.
Prosecutor Larissa Milligan said: “Following a minor collision, a neighbour opened the driver’s side door and removed the keys from the ignition.
“The accused stepped out of the vehicle and made her way into a nearby garden.
“Police attended and whilst being placed in the rear of the police van, she kicked PC Wilde to the face.”
Gaffar was taken to police headquarters on West Bell Street and while she was being processed at the charge bar, she spat on the officer’s face.
A spit hood was applied and she later refused to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.
Sheriff John Rafferty ordered Gaffar to perform 186 hours of unpaid work and placed her on supervision for six months.
She was disqualified from driving for 13 months.
Court runner
A violent criminal has been captured after escaping a court dock before he could be jailed for an attack on prison staff.
Andrew Pattie bolted from Dundee Sheriff Court seconds after being told he was being sentenced to 32 months imprisonment.
Pattie, 32, stood with arms folded before frantically fleeing from the dock in courtroom four to the shock of those in the public gallery.
He ran through two sets of double doors, evading police, GeoAmey staff and court officers, and out onto Bell Street at around 10.15am.
Drug money clawed back by Crown
A drugs trafficker who was collecting up to £100,000 a week from the illegal trade has been ordered to hand over more than £32,000 to the authorities.
Matthew Guthrie, 33, was made to surrender the sum in order to conclude proceeds of crime action brought against him by prosecutors.
The High Court in Edinburgh previously heard how police seized cash, cannabis and a quantity of cocaine during a search of his house in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in March 2023.
Guthrie “took ownership” of the drugs and money recovered at the property during an interview with police, the court was told.
He said he was paid £500 a week to store and deliver drugs and also collected £15,000 to £100,000 in cash a week after running into debt.
On Monday, defence solicitor advocate Gordon Martin and prosecutor Dan Byrne KC told judge Lord Summers that they had agreed that Guthrie had made £131,565 from his life of crime.
However, they also told Lord Summers that Guthrie only had £32,965 that could be seized at this point in time.
Guthrie admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine between November 1 in 2022 and March 28 last year at his house in Oaktree Square, Kirkcaldy and elsewhere.
He also pled guilty to being involved in the supply of cannabis over the same period at the address.
Vigilante posse claim rejected
A would-be thief caught lurking in a Forfar family’s garden was brought to the ground by a “perfect rugby tackle” from a 14-year-old boy.
Serial offender Kevin Paton made threats to return and break the homeowner’s legs after he was rumbled trying to get through a locked gate.
Drunk on “two or three cans of Dragon Soop”, Paton stood in the man’s driveway and argued there were no laws against trespassing in Scotland.
But prosecutor Stuart Hamilton argued that the homeowner, his teenage son and their neighbour were trying to make a “lawful arrest” after seeing Paton at their home for a second time that evening.
He said: “Had they been some sort of posse, they wouldn’t have phoned the police first.”
Danger driver’s head was ‘nipped’
A Methil teen has been banned from the road for taking police on a pursuit while uninsured and on bail.
Brandon Williamson, 19, pled guilty to driving dangerously and without insurance throughout Leven and Methil on February 13 this year.
Police used blue lights and their siren to signal Williamson’s Ford Transit van to stop, but he refused.
He travelled along Riverside Road and Elm Park in Leven and Wellesley Road and Kirkland Walk in Methil.
He reached 40mph in a 20mph zone and overtook vehicles in the face of oncoming traffic which had to take evasive action.
When he stopped, he explained he was scared due to being uninsured and on bail.
Solicitor Joe Mooney said Williamson’s girlfriend had been “nipping his head” to visit her daughter and he risked the short journey.
Williamson, of Herriot Crescent in Methil, was fined £520 by Sheriff Mark Allan at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
He was also disqualified for 14 months and ordered to resist the extended test before driving again.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
