A serial drink-driving Angus paedophile was caught while almost four and a half times over the limit while he was on bail for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl in Fife.
At Forfar Sheriff Court, David Penman admitted driving with excess alcohol (94 mics/22) on Carlogie Road in Carnoustie on April 20 this year.
At the time, he was on bail from Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and weeks later was sentenced for the sex attack on a 14-year-old girl, as well as sending her an explicit image.
The 30-year-old, of Queen Street in Arbroath, was placed on a community payback order with the maximum hour of unpaid work for the Fife offence, limiting sentencing options for the drink driving charge.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown pointed out that in 2020 Penman was banned for three years in connection with a previous drink-driving offence.
The sheriff said: “I could consider a custodial sentence for repeated drink-driving.”
She imposed a 7pm to 7am restriction of liberty order lasting four months and two weeks and disqualified Penman from driving for three years and nine months.
Murder trial
Caleb Ferguson from Perth has been convicted of murdering Perth man Cameron Rae. The 20-year-old knifed him three times in a flat in the city in April, before fleeing. He will be sentenced next month.
120mph speeder
A motorist who led police on a 120mph chase in a stolen car before crashing it into a burn has been spared jail.
Johnstone Lawrence was pursued by officers as he sped along the Queensferry Crossing and through Bridge of Earn.
The 27-year-old from Aberdeen, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and pled guilty to dangerous driving on September 11 2022.
He further admitted a charge of resetting the stolen Volvo XC60 at Flatfield Farm, on the outskirts of Perth.
The court heard how Lawrence hit speeds of 120mph while police were on his tail.
He failed to stop for officers in a marked police vehicle with flashing blue lights and sirens activated.
The chase ended when he lost control of the Volvo and crashed it into a burn off the A90 Dundee to Perth road.
Lawrence, of George Street, was handed a community payback order featuring 300 hours unpaid work and was placed on supervision for 18 months.
Sheriff William Wood also imposed a 12-week curfew, meaning he has to stay home between 7pm and 7am, and banned him from driving for 18 months, reduceable if he completes a drink-drive rehab scheme.
A9 tragedy
A tourist killed a Harley Davidson biker heading to a “bucket list” ride around the Highlands after she drove on the wrong side of the on the A9 in Perthshire. Motorist Die Huang, 51, from China, collided with a motorbike being driven by Andrew MacPherson.
Train rant
A foul-mouthed passenger on a train in Angus unleashed a tirade of vile abuse at a Scotrail conductor who reminded him about the onboard booze ban.
Paul Young was not present at Forfar Sheriff Court but the 59-year-old emailed the court pleading guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour and assaulting a female Scotrail employeen.
Young, of Rowantree Road in Newcastle, was reminded of the alcohol ban while passing Arbroath railway station on May 10 this year.
He unleashed a barrage of abuse at the conductor and repeatedly swore at her, calling
her a jobsworth, a slag, a fat ginger and a f***ing c***.
He added: “I hope that’s on camera.”
Young also assaulted the conductor by seizing her by her body-worn video camera and pushing her on the body.
He was fined £210.
Poultry poo dispute
A driver terrorised her neighbour in a long-standing feud that stemmed from a row over abandoned bags of chicken excrement. Debbie Ross, 61, repeatedly aimed her car and accelerated towards her rival near Kinloch Rannoch after they had rowed about disposing of the poo.
Detained in Mexico
An abusive Dundee boyfriend’s sentencing has been further deferred after he missed a court hearing in Forfar because he is detained in Mexico.
Earlier this year, Declan Todd, of Arklay Street, admitted engaging in a course of abusive behaviour towards his partner in their flat elsewhere in the city.
Todd was due to be sentenced at Forfar Sheriff Court but solicitor Nick Markowski explained the 26-year-old was currently detained in Central American.
At an earlier hearing, a sheriff asked for audio played in court of Declan Todd roaring at his victim to be stopped because it was so lengthy, adding: “I’m finding it quite distressing.”
Sentencing was further deferred until November for Todd to attend in person.
Cannabis driver
A 25-year-old Glenrothes cannabis driver has been fined £300 and banned from the road for a year.
Kiara Witter, of Muirfield Drive, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead guilty to driving a car with excess THC in her system (5.7mics/2) on the B981 towards Chapel Interchange to Cluny on January 14 this year.
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