In today’s Courier, a woman “left for dead” by a joyrider who smashed into her car has welcomed his 40-month jail sentence.
Rachel Ward spent two weeks in hospital with a collapsed lung and broken pelvis and ribs after the crash in Forfar last November and now suffers from a heart murmur.
Horrific CCTV footage played to Dundee Sheriff Court captured the moment Scott Fairweather raced through a red light and into Miss Ward’s own Corsa.
Ran away with broken leg
The impact sent her vehicle 15 metres across the road where it smashed into a traffic light, and, despite suffering a broken leg, Fairweather ran off.
In The Evening Telegraph, a thieving couple who stole cars, jewellery and electrical devices during a five-day crime spree across Tayside have been jailed.
Serial crooks Natalie Hawes and Guy Weston stole from an NHS nurse and OAPs between February 23 and 28 last year, among other victims.
Two vehicles taken
Weston’s crimes included breaking into a 72-year-old man’s yard and making off with a BMW 5 series and a purple Mini Cooper.
Tayside couple jailed for targeting NHS nurse during five-day crime spree
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown jailed Hawes for 15 months and imposed a 22-month prison sentence on Weston.
Former oil boss found guilty of sex offences
In the Press and Journal, the Aberdeenshire edition leads with a former oil boss being jailed for more than five years for sexually assaulting and attempting to rape a woman in Aberdeen.
Andrew Murray, 51, was convicted by a remote jury at the High Court in Aberdeen of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape the woman, who can’t be named for legal reasons, while she was incapable of giving or withholding consent due to being asleep or unconscious and intoxicated.
The incident took place at Murray’s second home on Union Grove, after he had earlier attended a party at Pittodrie Stadium in December 2018.
Court told sexual assault ‘treated like a game’
In the paper’s north edition, a woman told a jury that a man tried to rape her when she was 12 – and then made a joke of it.
Kim Avis is said to have struck at a property near Inverness and treated his assault like it was “a game”.
The 57-year-old was appearing at the High Court in Glasgow where he denied 25 charges.
He is alleged to have raped three women between January 1997 and March 2019, attempted to rape one of them when she was 12, and sexually assaulted a girl aged just 11.
Posties avoiding multis due to intimidating dogs
More than 100 homes in an Aberdeen high-rise have been declared a no-go zone by Royal Mail after posties said they were scared of intimidating dogs in the building.
The Evening Express reports that mail addressed to people living in Thistle Court, including Covid vaccination letters, is being diverted from the city-centre flats due to concerns over the safety of delivery staff.
And police are now offering “suitable advice” on how to proceed.
‘Intimidating’ dogs drive posties out of Aberdeen high rise – as Royal Mail halts deliveries
Royal Mail today confirmed deliveries had been suspended due to staff “being intimidated by two dogs” in the 126-flat block – while promising to seek prosecution of the pet owners in court if appropriate.
Blair has his say on Scottish independence
In the Times, Tony Blair has insisted that an SNP majority at next week’s Holyrood election should not automatically trigger a new Scottish independence referendum
The former Labour prime minister, who presided over the creation of the Scottish parliament in 1999, cast doubt on claims that an outright victory for Nicola Sturgeon’s party would invariably lead to the “disruption” of a second vote on the Union.
Wednesday’s TIMES Scotland: “Blair: SNP majority not a trigger for referendum” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/pPq4ttCCMP
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) April 28, 2021
It came as pollster Sir John Curtice said that the SNP’s prospects of winning a majority were “on a knife-edge”.
Boris says Britain will ‘bounce back’ from Covid
In The Daily Express, Boris Johnson claims Britain will “bounce back” from Covid with an ambitious recovery plan, he told his Cabinet yesterday.
The prime minister said the Queen’s Speech will unveil initiatives for transport and the economy, plus a bold programme to help all of the UK “build back better”.
Wednesday’s Daily EXPRESS: “Boris: My ‘Bounce Back’ Britain Mission” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/xLTWrrWBjL
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) April 27, 2021
Mr Johnson announced his fightback to colleagues after days of leaks and high-level feuds engulfing the UK Government.
Closer to home
In the Perthshire edition of The Courier, a life-saving initiative has emerged from the untimely death of a young archaeologist, following a fundraising drive started by his family.
Olly O’Grady’s memory will live on in the Perthshire community through defibrillators that have been installed in four villages.
The father of two was just 39 when he died suddenly from an undiagnosed heart condition last year.
His partner Lindsey Goring poured her energy into a project to raise cash to fund the purchase of the machines, used for emergency treatment of suspected cardiac arrest.
Toddler breaks arm in Fife park accident
In the Fife edition, An inspection is to be carried out at a Fife Council playpark after a toddler fell from a rope bridge and broke his arm.
Two-year-old Tommy Whyte is to have an operation today to set his arm with pins after breaking it in two places when he plunged from the equipment at the recently opened park in Kelty.
His mum Sharon hit out after officials told her local councillor that while an inspection would get under way, the rope bridge was designed to be used by children aged four and over.
Sharon insisted there were no signs warning of age limits so she had believed the park facilities were suitable for all.
