A tickled sheriff compared a man accused of throwing a TV and VHS player out of his flat window to a scene from This is Spinal Tap.
Sheriff Neil Kinnear quipped “he’s not a rock star by any chance?” when presented with the charge against Alan Phillips, 54.
It is alleged Phillips culpably and recklessly threw the television set, the video player and a coffee table through a first-floor window on Dundee’s South Tay Street, where he resides, on July 1 this year.
All the items are said to have smashed, with the charge alleging Phillips showed “utter disregard” for the consequences and endangered people below.
Sheriff Kinnear said: “It sounds very Spinal Tap,” referencing the hit mockumentary film about the fictional heavy metal band.
Phillips was not present at Dundee Sheriff Court and his case was continued without plea until January.
Pinned binman
A delivery driver from Dundee has been disqualified from driving for a year after a binman he reversed into suffered four cracked ribs.
Connor Ramsay, 22, admitted, at Redford Street in Padanaram, causing serious injury to binman Angus Cameron, then in the course of his employment, by driving without due care or attention January 8 this year.
Ramsay, of Farnington Street, Dundee, admitted failing to keep proper observations and reversing and pinning the 64-year-old between a refuse vehicle and his own van.
He returned to Forfar Sheriff Court to be sentenced aftre background reports were prepared and lawyer Jim Caird said: “The report reflects his deep regret about what happened and his remorse.
“He knows he’ll be disqualified.
“He was a professional driver, though he has very little experience of driving. He apologises.”
Ramsay was also ordered to complete 160 hours of unpaid work and must pass the extended test to get back his licence.
Bra smuggler ignored curfew
A woman who smuggled drugs hidden inside her bra into Perth Prison has narrowly avoided being locked up for repeatedly flouting a strict curfew order. Serial offender Gillian Smith was repeatedly flouted a tagging order imposed in September after pleading guilty to bringing contraband into the maximum security jail.
18 months of abuse
An abusive Arbroath boyfriend left social workers concerned he “minimised” a campaign of offending committed over more than 18 months.
First offender David Douglas, 21, of Brothock Way in Arbroath, returned to Forfar Sheriff Court to be sentenced for engaging in a course of abusive behaviour between March 2021 and October 2022.
His offending, which took place at properties in his hometown, as well as in Dundee, included repeatedly addressing the woman in derogatory terms.
He seized his partner by the body and clothing, pushed her on the body and repeatedly struck her on the head and body to her injury.
He threw furniture at her and compressed her neck, restricting her breathing.
Douglas threw clothing at her, prevented her from contacting or being in the company of her friends and family and repeatedly induced financial payments from her.
Sentencing had been deferred for social workers to compile a report on Douglas and Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown said: “There is some concern about minimisation.”
She imposed two years of supervision and a non-harassment order lasting three years.
Douglas’ solicitor Keith Sym said: “He fully understands it’ll be imposed as a direct alternative to custody.”
Soup fight
Perth prisoner Duncan Stammers was rushed to hospital following a bizarre soup-flinging fight with a fellow inmate. His clash with James Donoghue was caught on CCTV.
The fight – in which “soup was thrown in each direction” – ended when Donoghue hits Stammer in the face with a mystery weapon, slicing open his chin.
More time for murderer
A convicted killer will spend extra time behind bars after he was caught with an improvised weapon at HMP Perth.
Daniel Brown was jailed for life in 2019 after stabbing a man and later boasting: “I am a murderer and I like it”.
The 25-year-old was ordered to be detained for 15 years and 10 months before he is eligible for parole.
Brown appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted having a makeshift weapon, described in court papers as a “plastic fork handle with a razor blade melted into it”, in his cell on December 1 2022.
Brown spent four months in segregation and lost privileges for 14 days.
His lawyer said he armed himself because of “anxiety” others were out to attack him.
Brown’s earliest release date is 2037.
“He is hoping to get back into the community and put to bed his dark offending past,” his solicitor said.
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC told Brown: “I do have to mark the fact you were in possession of an offensive weapon while in custody, which had the potential to harm you and others.”
She sentenced him to a further 24 weeks in jail.
The High Court in Glasgow previously heard how Brown had been released from police custody after being caught with two knives just 24 hours before he murdered Darly Nimmo, 25, at a flat in Dalry, North Ayrshire.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
