Wednesday court round-up — The moral high ground and death wish

By Crime and Courts Team

June 9 2021, 7:30pm

Quite the diversity of stories in the Wednesday court round-up.

The moral high ground

Motorist Robert Connacher told police he was “taking the moral high ground” by refusing to be tested for drug driving.

Officers suspected him of being under the influence after he crashed his car in Culross, Fife.

The 46-year-old claimed his drink had been spiked.

Fiscal depute Azrah Yousaf told Dunfermline Sheriff Court police had been called after a member of the public saw a damaged car in the middle of the road.

Officers found Conacher sitting in the drivers in the driver’s seat.

Ms Yousaf said: “He was asked to take a drug swipe and refused.

“He stated he was maintaining the moral high ground.”

She said, when cautioned and charged, he had added he would not take the test “because it’s my choice”.

His solicitor said Conacher had not taken the drugs willingly but believed his drink had been spiked.

However he said that as he was unable to work out who was responsible he was forced to plead guilty.

Conacher, of Alloa Road, Clackmannan, admitted failing to comply with a requirement that he take a blood test at the police custody suite in Livingston on May 12.

Sheriff Charles Macnair told him: “You may have been out to maintain the moral high ground but you’re going to do it without a driving licence.”

He fined him £500 and banned him from the roads for 12 months.

Cancer wish horror

A woman wished death on her cancer-suffering neighbour and threatened to stab her after being falsely accused of breaking into her home.

Kelly Thomson reacted furiously to claims she had been involved in a break-in at her neighbour’s flat on Watson Street, Dundee.

The 40-year-old dished out a torrent of abuse, some of which was racist, from her flat window last September.

She was asked to stop by the woman’s landlord after being informed she had cancer.

Thomson, however, replied: “I hope she f****** dies.”

Thomson, of Bonnethill Court, pled guilty from custody to repeatedly shouting and swearing, making threats of violence and making racist remarks on September 14 last year.

She also admitted a separate incident of abusive behaviour on April 15 this year on Brown Constable Street.

Solicitor Scott Norrie said Thomson had “taken umbrage” to the accusations but recognised her actions were “totally inappropriate.”

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence until July for reports and she was released on bail.

Pub punch

Fife man Jamie Ross has been sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work after breaking a bar manager’s nose with a single punch.

Brian Whittaker required surgical work to reshape his nose after Ross hit him at Eddy’s Bar in Kirkcaldy’s Templehall area.

Ross, 29, had been barred earlier and was asked to leave when he was spotted again.

As the situation escalated, Mr Whittaker eventually put his hands on Ross’ chest and took him outside onto Birnam Road.

Ross threw a single punch at the manager, catching him on the face.

Police were contacted and Ross who told them: “It was a stupid one punch thing.”

Night shift worker Ross admitted the September 1, 2019 assault.

Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist handed him a 120-hour unpaid work sentence as a direct alternative to custody.

Also…

Rapist Callum Duncan was jailed for eight years after snatching a university student from Dundee off the street and assaulting her.

A man has denied assaulting women in a hot tub during a birthday party in Perthshire. Daniel Crees is on trial at Perth Sheriff Court.

Kenneth Sparling from Methil, Fife was jailed for nearly eight years for attacking his friend with a weapon resembling a cosh with a sword protruding from it. Medics said the victim could have lost his life in the savage assault.