Teenager sentenced for failing to give evidence at knife trial

A teenage girl was told a knife trial fell apart because she, and others, failed to turn up and give evidence at Dundee Sheriff Court.

Karra Bawol 17, of Mossgiel Place, was told by Sheriff Derek O’Carroll that her failure to appear as a cited witness amounted to contempt of court, which is a criminal offence, when she appeared in the dock herself.

Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson said the Crown was unable to argue its case at the trial of a man accused of knife possession in July because of a lack of witnesses and in October was forced to accept the accused’s not guilty plea.

Bawol’s defence agent Jim Caird said she was young and inexperienced with court procedure.

He said she had worried about her role so much she did not sleep until late then did not wake up in time.

Sheriff O’Carroll was not satisfied with this excuse, however, and said she had wilfully refused to come.

He added: “As a result of witnesses not turning up, justice couldn’t be done.

“It was not just you but others as well contributed to a breakdown of the court process.”

Bawol, who now has a criminal record as a result, was sentenced to 60 hours’ unpaid work to be completed within three months.