A police officer who crashed a marked vehicle in Dunfermline while responding to a call about a suspected drink-driver was given an absolute discharge.
PC Kyle Aitken clipped a kerb on a left-hand bend and lost control at Halbeath Road, near the entrance to Lynebank Hospital, causing the car to crash into a traffic island and traffic light poles, on February 10 last year.
Mr Aitken, 30, was uninjured but his fellow constable in the passenger seat suffered cuts to his head and right hand, Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard.
Mr Aitken pled guilty to careless driving on his way to the call to the Asda car park at Halbeath Retail Park.
The court heard the police vehicle suffered extensive damage to the front and offside.
Mr Aitken’s defence lawyer stressed it was a “momentary lapse” and there was no evidence the officer was driving at excessive speed for an emergency call.
There were no concerns about the manner of his driving beforehand.
The solicitor also highlighted Mr Aitken’s “exemplary record” during his five years in the police force.
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon said he was satisfied special reasons existed and did not endorse Mr Aitken’s licence, adding: “I am also satisfied in the case here that exceptional circumstances do arise and accordingly grant absolute discharge.”
Abuse files found
Hundreds of child abuse files featuring girls as young as three were found on laptops following a raid on a family home in Angus. Police uncovered a stash from two laptops in David Reid’s office when they executed a search warrant in Kirkton of Auchterhouse in August 2023.
Air tag abuser
A Dundee man has admitted a near-four-year campaign of domestic abuse which included fitting an Apple AirTag to his former partner’s car to track her movements.
Kevin Leslie appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court to admit the catalogue of domestically abusive behaviour at various locations within the city between July 2019 and May 2023.
The 37-year-old repeatedly argued with the woman and acted in a controlling and jealous manner, demeaning her with derogatory language.
He repeatedly pushed her, shouted at her and put his hand over her mouth, restricting her breathing.
Leslie, of Strathmartine Road, repeatedly called, texted and emailed her and attended at her home.
He seized her by the hair and grabbed her phone, copying and deleting its contents.
Further, Leslie acted in an aggressive manner, pulled her hair, seized her by the body and pinned her to a door.
He repeatedly messaged her, threatening to kill himself.
Leslie also placed an Apple AirTag in the boot of the woman’s vehicle to track her movements, then later attended at her home and tried to remove it.
He repeatedly banged on her door, approached her, shouted, swore and threatened to kill her.
Leslie also admitted he placed a gift and note in her car.
He accepted his behaviour injured the woman and put her life in danger.
Leslie also pled guilty to breaching bail conditions to leave his victim alone by repeatedly contacting her through various media between March and May 2022.
Leslie admitted another charge of possessing cocaine at a property in Ancrum Drive on March 8 2022 but his plea of not guilty to assaulting former Dundee FC and Dundee United defender Lewis Toshney there that day was accepted.
Sentencing was deferred until October 21 for reports.
Rat
A pet owner was filmed goading a dog into a fight with a domesticated rat. Liam Fair held the rat by the tail and repeatedly swung it round, hitting it off the lurcher dog’s face to get a reaction.
Re-sentenced
A man who sexually assaulted a child will now spend more than three times as long on the sex offenders register after being re-sentenced.
Andrew Fowler previously admitted carrying out the attacks on a number of occasions between June 1 and July 31 2023 at an address in Dundee.
On the day he was due to stand trial at Dundee Sheriff Court, Fowler pled guilty to licking the girl’s tongue, partially removing her upper clothing and exposing her breast.
Fowler, of Pitairlie Road, also touched the child’s upper thigh, repeatedly shared a bed with her and repeatedly seized her body and pulled her towards him.
Social work reports and an assessment of Fowler’s mental state were carried out before Sheriff George Way placed him on supervision for 18 months, with a requirement to undertake counselling as directed by the social work department.
He was ordered to complete 110 hours of unpaid work and was initially subject to registration requirements for 18 months.
However, after breaching his community payback order, he was re-sentenced the day before his 25th birthday.
Sheriff Clair McLachlan placed Fowler on a restriction of liberty order keeping him at home between 8pm and 6am every day for four months.
She also placed him on the sex offenders register for five years.
Life-endangering assault
Dundee addict Darren Jackson subjected a stranger to a life-endangering robbery in a city stairwell, then stole his victim’s car. He was locked up for 30 months for the assault in a common close in Balunie Avenue last year in which he pounced on the man and demanded “keys, keys, keys” then stamped on his head.
Car dispute turns nasty
Perthshire man Ralph Berg threatened to rape a man during a disagreement over car payments.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard the man left on a trip and agreed Berg would pay instalments on the vehicle while he was away, in exchange for use of the car.
The owner returned early and collected the car with the spare key.
Berg, 46, demanded £750 in payments, as well as tax, insurance, fuel and another £6,000 from the man, saying in a phone call, if he did not pay, he would slash him and rape him.
He admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner between December 17 and 18 last year.
Solicitor Gary McIlravey said his client had suffered a fall and head injury.
“Mr Berg’s understanding was he was purchasing the car.
“The complainer simply turned up and took the vehicle using the spare key.”
Sheriff Clair McLachlan ordered Berg, who lives in rural Perthshire between Meigle and Glamis, to complete 75 hours unpaid work in six months.
She said: “I appreciate it does indeed appear to be out of character and there is some form of explanation but it was an unpleasant incident and it merits being punished.”
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