A Fife pensioner accused of threatening to kill Theresa May and being behind a series of bomb scares has again denied the charges against her.
Isabella Jackson, whose address was given as Braehead Gardens, Buckhaven, maintained her not guilty pleas to five charges of threatening and abusive behaviour under the Communications Act at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The 72-year-old stands accused of sending death threats to the Prime Minister when Mrs May was still in her previous role as Home Secretary, and is also accused of being behind a raft of bomb hoaxes, including one at the Harrods department store as well as US embassies in London and Paris.
A Crown Office motion to adjourn Jackson’s trial due to unavailability of key witnesses on certain dates was granted at the latest hearing, although Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist expressed his frustration at a lack of progress on certain issues — twice having to recall the case during the day.
The first pause in proceedings came when Sheriff Gilchrist questioned whether or not three prosecution witnesses, who have been granted anonymity, were unavailable to travel to Kirkcaldy on certain dates next month to give evidence, or simply unavailable to give evidence via CCTV link from elsewhere.
The hearing was then delayed for a second time when insufficient answers were given to the sheriff about practical difficulties for Jackson, who uses a motorised wheelchair, to actually stand trial.
The court had heard previously that consideration had been given to moving the trial due to access problems, and Jackson’s solicitor Alistair Burleigh raised issues about his client’s hearing during Tuesday’s proceedings.
“I don’t normally hear — I never hear what’s said in court,” Jackson told Sheriff Gilchrist at one point.
“I’ve just left it to my lawyers.”
Mr Burleigh also told the court: “She’s never had her hearing tested in the past — she’s just lived with turning the telly up essentially.”
Mr Burleigh went on to oppose the Crown’s formal motion to adjourn, suggesting insufficient checks had been carried out in relation to witness availability.
“This does have the appearance of an indictment that was simply put together at the last minute with anything and everything that was in the Crown Office at the time,” he added.
However, Sheriff Gilchrist heard from the Crown that all witnesses would be available for a trial sitting in December and granted the Crown motion.
The trial will also be heard in Kirkcaldy after Dunfermline was ruled out as an alternative venue, and Mr Burleigh assured the court that his client would be seen by a doctor in relation to her hearing issues before it goes ahead.
The charges against Jackson state that on November 24 2014, Jackson behaved in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm at her home in Buckhaven, Fife, or at the Palace of Westminster.
A second charge alleges that on the same date, also at her home or at the GCHQ in Cheltenham, she then threatened to kill Mrs May.
Bomb scares against two US embassies are alleged to have been emailed between December 13 2014 and January 7 2015 at her home and GCHQ, while another charge alleges that on September 14 2015, the pensioner sent an email inducing the belief that there was a bomb at Harrods in Knightsbridge, London.
A further charge alleges that Jackson sent a message to Fife Council between August 30 and September 10 2015 stating that a Susan Johnston had died and caused her annoyance, inconvenience and needless anxiety.
