A Dundee knifeman has been jailed after slashing a stranger’s car tyre at 8am.
Charles Christie was brought from HMP Perth to Dundee Sheriff Court to admit acting in a threatening or abusive manner and possessing an offensive weapon at The Willows on November 2 last year.
The 42-year-old began banging on a door there shouting for “Alec” before violently deflating the tyre of a Hyundai i20 outside.
He was later seen carrying a knife and a member of the public took his 21cm weapon from him and handed it to police when they arrived.
Solicitor Jane Caird explained Christie will be jailed for at least seven years this week when he attends the High Court to be sentenced for drug offences.
She explained her client had turned back to drug use in 2021 after a family tragedy.
Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith jailed Christie for 16 months, backdated to November.
The sheriff noted Christie has previous convictions for offences involving knives, a sword and a scaffolding pole.
A9 tragedy
Taxi driver Martin Gibson, from Saunchie, admitted causing the death of an Arbroath motorcyclist John Hammertson, 63, after failing to give way to him on the A9 in Perthshire in May 2023. He will be sentenced later.
Check mate for chess slasher
A man who slashed a friend in Fife after they fell out over a chess game has been jailed for 20 months.
Douglas Whyte left a deep cut to his victim’s wrist, exposing the tendons and requiring surgery.
Whyte, 50, of Midfield Terrace, Steelend, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court after previously admitting, on March 2 2023 at his home, assaulting the with a knife to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment.
The court was previously told they drinking whisky and playing chess in the living room and Whyte became aggressive, saying his friend thought he was better than him.
He made a comment about a bread knife and went to the kitchen and the victim’s next recollection was of feeling warm blood on his arm and knowing he had to get out of the house.
He went home with blood dripping from a cut on his left wrist just above his hand.
When arrested, Whyte told police: “I stabbed him. He goaded me. We were sitting playing chess.
“He came at me and he said ‘go get a bread knife’ so I went and got one. I just hope he’s not f****** dead. This is surreal to me.”
The victim has been left with a large scar and a lump on his wrist which he has been told will never go away and has difficulties with strength and movement in his wrist, affecting his ability to carry out his job.
Defence solicitor Russel McPhate said, “This was very much out of character.”
Sheriff Krista Johnston told Whyte, “This was a deliberate attack on a so-called friend, unprovoked and over a game of chess.
“You inflicted a horrific injury on him and from his impact statement it is clear this will leave a lasting effect both physically and psychologically.
“You’ve expressed no real remorse and have blamed the victim.”
GP quit after attack
A GP quit his Fife medical practice after being beaten up by young thugs including 19-year-old Lee Dackers, in a vicious racist assault as he left his office. The doctor, of Pakistani descent, was repeatedly punched and told to “go back to your country” as he went to a nearby shop after his 12-hour shift at the practice in High Valleyfield.
Reconciled after abuse
A woman was left bruised after being attacked and spat at by her partner during four months of abuse.
Shaun Roeleveld repeatedly pushed the woman and punched her on the head.
Roeleveld was ordered to perform 120 hours unpaid work after he admitted engaging in an abusive course of conduct between July 1 and November 25 last year in Dundee.
The city’s sheriff court heard how the woman finally called the police after he began repeatedly kicking her front door.
Describing some of the abuse, prosecutor Nicola Caira said: “On one occasion, the accused pushed her into a door frame which caused bruising to her arm.
“On another occasion, the accused was upset at the complainer having other males on her social media.
“The accused punched the television on the living room wall with such force that the screen cracked and it fell off the wall mount.”
Roeleveld, of Grampian Gardens, pled guilty to repeatedly shouting, swearing, acting aggressively, making threats, pushing the woman against a door frame, repeatedly pushing her on the body, damaging a television, punching her on the head. kicking a door and spitting at her.
Solicitor Joe Myles said the 23-year-old and the woman, who was sitting in court, have since reconciled.
Mr Myles said: “Much of these matters relate to his immaturity, jealousy and lack of relationship experience.”
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael said: “I have a more serious view about this behaviour and an element of punishment is needed, as well as an element of education to improve your behaviour.”
Roeleveld was also placed on supervision for a year.
Caught twice
A man was twice caught by paedophile hunters sending sex messages to adult decoys he thought were young girls.
Philip Magee, 45, was living in Lochgelly at the time but has now moved to Huntingdon in England.
At Dunfermline Sheriff Court, he admitted that between May 20 and 24 at Paul Street, Lochgelly, he sent written communications of a sexual nature and attempted to communicate indecently with a child.
He also admitted that between May 1 and June 1, he committed the same offence with a different person.
Defence solicitor Amy Harley said her client had been going through “a difficult period” involving the breakdown of his marriage and was “struggling at work with difficult targets”.
His “loneliness and isolation” led to a decline in his mental health, she added.
Magee lost his job but is now working in a warehouse.
Sheriff Krista Johnston said she had intended to jail Magee but had been “talked down” by the defence solicitor and instead imposed 300 hours of unpaid work, two years of supervision and five years on the sex offenders register.
Harboured vulnerable child
A high-risk sex offender attacked police officers after a missing girl was discovered in his Fife home. James Haggerty admitted harbouring the 16-year-old at an address in Glenrothes shortly after he was released from prison.
More time on supervision
A repeat sex offender who spat at a woman after harassing her at her front door has been placed on stringent supervision.
Ernest Petrie targeted the woman at an address in the Hilltown area of Dundee on August 27 last year – two years after he licked a woman and tried to kiss her in the city centre.
Petrie stood trial at Dundee Sheriff Court and was convicted by a sheriff.
The 50-year-old, who was remanded at HMP Perth, was convicted of communicating indecently with the woman and assaulting her by attending her front door, engaging her in conversation, seizing hold of her hand, refusing to release it, struggling with her, smelling his fingers, stepping towards her in a sexual manner and making sexual remarks before spitting towards her.
Solicitor Anika Jethwa said the deterioration in her client’s mental health – he has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder – was exacerbated by his abuse of substances.
In February 2024, Petrie, of Strathmartine Road, was placed on the sex offenders register for 12 months and made subject to social work supervision for the August 2022 offence.
Petrie was placed on the register for 18 months, the same period as his new supervision order and must comply with mental health and addiction services as part of a conduct requirement. A three-year non-harassment order was also imposed.
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