The former co-director of a St Andrews University charity ball has admitted embezzling thousands of pounds.
First offender Amy Fisken, of Carlton Street in Edinburgh, appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court to admit the offence.
The 28-year-old admitted that she embezzled £5,737.77 in her role as co-director of the historic university’s The House of Horrors charity ball between 2019 and 2021.
Solicitor John Boyle said: “There is a background here.”
Sheriff John Rafferty ordered background reports and deferred sentencing until December 9.
Bad swing
A raging retiree has been convicted of breaking a suspected golf ball thief’s thumb with his driver on the 18th hole at Dundee’s Caird Park course. Douglas Malcolm, 74, was found guilty of severely injuring his victim, who he said walked into his golf club.
‘Why are people useless’
A drunk man ranted in the street and yelled “people are c***s” during a drinking spree in Perth.
Benjamin Sunley’s night took a sour turn after demanding supermarket staff open a wine bottle with a corkscrew.
Fiscal depute Stephanie Paterson, prosecuting, said Sunley went into the store at about 7.30pm on October 2.
“He took a bottle of wine from a display and approached a member of staff.
“He appeared angry and demanded that the employee open the bottle for him with a cork screw.
“Fearing he was under the influence and feeling intimidated by him, the staff member complied.”
Sunley walked off with his wine but returned later and asked a customer if he could help charge his vape.
When the customer declined, Sunley shouted “Why are all people useless?” and left.
Ms Paterson said Sunley was later seen on Abbot Street, screaming: ‘People are c***s. Everyone can go f*** themselves.’
“Members of the public described his behaviour as erratic, threatening and violent” and police were called.
Noticing he had an injured ankle, they took him to Perth Royal Infirmary but he kicked out when officers tried to search his bag.
Sunley was transported to West Bell Street police station in Dundee and was abusive on the way, threatening to “fight, assault and kill” officers.
At Perth Sheriff Court, he pled guilty to resisting arrest and two counts of threatening or abusive behaviour.
Solicitor Bethany Downham, defending, said her client had only “limited” memory of the incident, a drinking session on the second anniversary of his grandfather’s passing after two years of abstinence.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed Sunley, 33, of Pudsey, near Leeds, for seven months.
Ageism row
A 43-year-old nursery manager assaulted two women after they directed ageist comments towards her. Dundee Sheriff Court was shown CCTV footage from the city’s Grosvenor Casino of Danielle Lee assaulting the two younger women.
TK Maxx tool
A Fife shoplifter came “prepared” with a tool for de-tagging clothes in a Dunfermline TK Maxx store.
Teri Docherty , 37, of Bethune Way, Buckhaven, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after previously pleading guilty to stealing various items of clothing at the shop in Carnegie Retail Park on May 29 this year, while on bail.
Prosecutor Azrah Yousaf told the court CCTV showed serial shoplifter Docherty clearly “de-tagging” items with “some sort of tool” from her back pocket, suggesting she came “prepared”.
The court heard the stolen items were not recovered and the value is unknown.
Sheriff Susan Duff said Docherty had a “significant number” of previous convictions for shoplifting and been admonished on a number of occasions, suggesting she is not learning.
Defence lawyer Martin McGuire said Docherty’s background is one of substance misuse and that she goes through periods of stability and relapse.
The sheriff deferred sentence until December 4 to obtain background reports.
Done dealer
A dealer twice caught running a heroin supply operation from his Perth home has been jailed. Andrew Townsley, 39, was told by a sheriff: “You have played the last ace in your hand.”
Abusive conduct
Domestic abuser Wayne Wright, of Fintryside, Dundee has been jailed for 10 months after a sheriff found him guilty of engaging in a course of abusive behaviour
At Dundee Sheriff Court, the 47-year-old was convicted of abusing his partner between May and June of this year at various properties in the city and during a journey on the A90 between Aberdeen and Dundee.
After a trial, he was found to have shouted, sworn, acted aggressively, repeatedly made offensive remarks and threats of violence towards her and an unknown male.
Unemployed Wright was also convicted of pushing her, punching her on the head and striking her on the body.
He was found to have attended her home uninvited, refused to leave and repeatedly made sexual remarks.
Solicitor David Sinclair said Wright, a carer for his ill father, had previously been jailed for a month for a domestic offence.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael also made a non-harassment for three years.
Buckfast thief
A thief who attacked a stranger in the street and left him with a fractured skull has been jailed for three years. Lennon McAlpine, 24, also assaulted employees at the Spar in Burntisland’s Cromwell Road after stealing two bottles of Buckfast.
Fined
A former garage boss who menaced his ex-partner after she gave evidence against him at his domestic abuse trial has been fined.
Kevin Nicoll deliberately reversed his car at his former girlfriend when she stepped out the back door of Perth Sheriff Court.
She had spent the morning tearfully recounting the abuse she suffered during their two-year relationship.
Nicoll, 50, was found guilty of engaging in a course of abusive conduct between December 1 2020 and January 31 2023.
He went on trial again in September and was convicted of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in the Speygate car park, behind the court, at the start of the domestic abuse trial on January 15.
The court heard when she came out after giving evidence, Nicoll reversed his car at speed towards her.
The woman said she had to push her friend – another witness – out of the way as the vehicle “came pretty close” before the brakes were slammed on.
Nicoll claimed he had not seen his ex and said she was lying to the court.
Nicoll, of Fairfield Avenue, Perth, was also convicted of breaching bail conditions by approaching his ex and was fined £375.
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