Man cleared of hiding in bushes at Perth’s Jeanfield Park

A man walked free from court after a sheriff decided there was not enough evidence to prove he hid in bushes at a park to watch children play.

Colin Murray had faced a charge of breaching the peace at Perth’s Jeanfield Park by concealing himself in the undergrowth and staring out on to Rannoch Road on April 21 this year.

At Perth Sheriff Court Murray’s solicitor Jamie Morris persuaded Sheriff Michael Fletcher to have the case against his client dropped.

Mr Morris argued that there was insufficient evidence to prove the charge of breach of the peace.

The court had earlier heard from four members of the same family, who stated they had witnessed Murray watching their children for “20 to 30 minutes”.

They claimed that the 61-year-old had fled when approached but later walked past the property with his two dogs.

They all rejected a suggestion by Mr Morris that Murray was merely heading to his Goodlyburn Terrace home after exercising his pets.

Sheriff Fletcher ruled that there was no case to answer.