A 19-year-old has pled guilty to striking a man on the head with a “glass candle”.
Alistair Sangster appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to admit the assault to injury with a glass object at an address in Dewars Avenue, Kelty, on December 6 last year.
Defence lawyer Chris Sneddon said he understood the object to be a “glass candle”, which appears to have “shattered fairly easily”.
Sheriff Susan Duff deferred sentence on Sangster, of Black Loch Place, Dunfermline, until February 5 for a background report and his bail was continued.
Tea room boss assaults
A “spiritual” Fife tearoom boss has been found guilty groping six people at his Leven town centre cafes. Alistair Burns targeted his victims at the Trudor Tearoom or Daunder In – doors apart in Forth Street – during a period spanning January 2019 to October 2023.
Disrespect
An “insulted” pool player who pulled out a knife and tried to grab a man after feeling disrespected during a game in a Montrose bar has been banned from entering any licensed premises for the next year.
Dundee Sheriff Court previously heard how Graeme Murray was “grudgingly” allowed to play with a trio of strangers.
The 59-year-old said “I’ll show you what I’m all about”, before producing the blade in the Star Bar in Montrose.
Murray, who previously served a jail term almost 25 years ago, returned to the dock to be sentenced.
Solicitor Keith Sym explained Murray’s alcohol intake that night had mixed badly with his methadone.
Mr Sym said: “He has been out of trouble for the best part of 13 years.
“He had a record previously which related to his drug use. He had an issue with heroin and his convictions almost all related to that heroin use.
“However, in his 40s he was able to keep out of the courts. He took assistance with his drug issues. He has had significant involvement with his local church.
“On the night in question, Mr Murray had taken alcohol, something he hadn’t done for about 15 years prior to this incident.
“He has no history of violence or carrying weapons. This is very much out of character for him, even when he was committing offences.
“He is horrified by his behaviour.”
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael imposed a year’s supervision and made a conduct requirement banning Murray from licensed premises for a year.
He said: “This incident is an excellent example of why we have laws to prevent the carrying of knives in public.”
Grooming gang in Dundee
A grooming gang from Dundee could be facing life behind bars after being convicted of sexually exploiting 10 vulnerable women.
Marian Cumpanasoiu, 37, Christian Urlateanu, 41, Alexandra Bugonea, 34, Remus Stan, 34, and Catalin Dobre, 44, were convicted following a six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Their victims included a woman who was trafficked into prostitution and then threatened because she was not earning enough. Another was gang-raped by three of the predators.
The Romanian-born gang – based at flats in Dundee – left a number of those they preyed upon hooked on crack cocaine, leading them to be blackmailed into sex.
Street punch
An NHS worker from Cupar left his victim unconscious in the street and with lasting vision issues as a result of an assault in the town. James Walker, 55, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court to admit the assault on April 30 in 2023 and will be sentenced next month.
Nightmare neighbour
A nightmare neighbour caused fear and alarm by repeatedly staring through a resident’s window.
Andrew McKiddie appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted three counts of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at an address in Airlie View, Alyth.
The court heard the 49-year-old stared through the complainers’ window and made “offensive gestures” on August 11 2022.
He was seen again on August 21, raising his middle finger at a woman inside.
Three days later, he was back, staring at two people and “mouthing words in an aggressive manner”.
Around that time, McKiddie went on trial at the same court and was found guilty of tormenting a pensioner and care home staff during a campaign of offensive behaviour that lasted two months.
The court heard McKiddie had since moved out of the street to a property in Grahame Terrace, Gilmerton.
Sheriff Alison McKay deferred sentence for background reports.
Dirty protests
An Arbroath addict unleashed foul-mouthed racism at Ninewells staff, spat at a patient and emptied his bowels five times in dirty protests at being taken into custody. James Brown appeared by video link at Dundee Sheriff Court to admit charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and assaulting a wheelchair-user.
Assault with ‘background’
A Methil man has admitted “severely” injuring a man in a nightclub with a single punch.
Allan Galloway, 42, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit the assault at Truth Nightclub in Leven on October 5 last year.
Business owner Galloway, of Kirkland Walk in Methil, punched his victim on the face at the North Street club, severely injuring him.
His solicitor Martin McGuire said: “There is a bit of a background here.”
Sheriff Neil Kinnear deferred sentencing until February 4 and ordered reports.
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