A serial offender with an “unenviable” criminal record landed himself back in the dock after hurling abuse and death threats at his Portsoy neighbour.
Michael Sorby, 34, was found guilty of threatening behaviour after a sheriff “did not believe” his version of events during a two-hour trial at Banff Sheriff Court.
Sorby previously threatened to kill his victim Gary Stranach and called the 32-year-old vile names including a “mongol”, a “retard”, a “spastic” and “an Aberdeen tink”.
Giving evidence via video link, Mr Stranach described the nasty confrontation with Sorby in February 2022.
He told the court that he was visiting his partner and four-year-old son in Portsoy for the weekend while he lived away from home for work.
‘I am going to kill you if you don’t take those cameras down’
Mr Stranach explained to the court that there had been an ongoing dispute with his family’s neighbour, whose daughter is in a relationship with Sorby.
On February 20 2022, Mr Stranach installed security cameras outside his girlfriend’s house at Campbell Crescent, Portsoy.
On the same day, he then received abuse and death threats from Sorby.
Mr Stranach told the court that Sorby had told him: “I am going to kill you if you don’t take those cameras down.
“And he called me an Aberdeen tink,” Mr Stranach added.
Reading from his police statement, the victim recalled that Sorby had also called him a “spastic” as he drove past in his white Vauxhall Astra van, adding: “He was trying to intimidate me. I didn’t react. I had my son with me.”
Foul-mouthed Sorby was ‘terrifying’ to live next to, court told
Mr Stranach’s partner, Ella Mutch, 35, also gave evidence against Sorby, confirming she heard him threaten to kill her partner.
She told the court that living next door to Sorby had been “terrifying” and claimed she had cameras installed on the advice of the police.
Miss Mutch also heard Sorby call Mr Stranach a “mongol and a retard” and said: “Sorby drove past us and said, ‘If you don’t take down your cameras, I will f****** rip them off.”
The court heard that Miss Mutch then retaliated and called Sorby a “dwarf”.
She told the court: “I know that was out of order. I apologise for that. “I just wanted to be left alone.”
Sorby gave evidence in his defence branding the claims ‘nonsense’
Sorby gave evidence in his fence, branding the previous claims “all nonsense”.
His defence agent Emma Bruce asked him if he had threatened to kill Mr Stranach, to which he answered: “No.”
When asked if he had called Mr Stranach a “spastic”, a “retard” or a “mongol”, he replied: “No.”
Under cross-examination by fiscal depute Stephanie Cardow, Sorby was asked about evidence previously given about the events of February 20 2022.
“It’s all nonsense,” he responded.
Sorby then claimed he didn’t know Mr Stranach or Miss Mutch and had never had any issues with them.
Sorby’s lawyer said he has ‘turned his life around’ and now lives on benefits
Sheriff Robert MacDonald found Mr Stranach and Miss Mutch’s evidence credible and reliable, telling Sorby: “I didn’t believe you.”
Miss Bruce said although her client had an “unenviable list of previous convictions” he had now “turned his life around” and was living on benefits.
She explained this case was the last one open at Banff Sheriff Court, adding: “This case dates back to 2022 and does not represent the individual he is today.”
Sheriff MacDonald agreed and said: “We are seeing less of you than we used to, which is a good thing. You do seem to have settled down. I hope that we don’t see you back.”
Sorby, of Bogroy Crescent in Cornhill, was given 90 hours of unpaid work to be carried out within the next six months.
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