Weekend court roll – a depraved Dunelm pervert and a truth or dare sex crime

Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.

Man jailed over heroin haul

A man who doesn’t “recognise laws” has been jailed for bringing £35,000 of a “dangerous and highly addictive” drug into Aberdeen by train.

Ivan Laverton, who changed his name to Ace McGrath, was caught after being seen acting suspiciously around police and a sniffer dog at Aberdeen railway station.

But when being arrested, McGrath, 28, warned the police that he doesn’t “recognise” the law in Scotland, adding: “I do not stand under your authority.”

Fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar told Aberdeen Sheriff Court police and the canine were monitoring arrivals at Aberdeen Railway Station on April 18 2019.

Cruel thief targeted the most vulnerable

A cold-hearted female thief who robbed a series of elderly and vulnerable people in Fraserburgh has been locked up for her cruel behaviour.

Marianne Downie, 28, barged into her victims’ homes and subjected them to terrifying threats of violence before stealing money.

On one occasion, a woman was waiting for an ambulance to arrive when Downie seized her chance and grabbed £200 from the pensioner’s handbag.

She also targeted an 82-year-old man twice in a matter of months, ripping off his emergency bracelet to prevent him from calling for help.

Coked-up mum slumped at wheel of SUV

An Inverurie mum who was spotted slumped over the wheel of her SUV was later tested and found to be 16 times the cocaine limit.

Jill Williams, 42, was upset and “having a stressful time” because her husband couldn’t return home from Dubai due to Covid-19, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.

After being alerted by concerned members of the public, police discovered her incapacitated and slurring in the front seat of her Nissan Qashqai.

Fiscal depute Emma Petersen said on the afternoon of October 1 2020 police were contacted in relation to Williams being spotted slumped behind the wheel of the vehicle at Highclere Business Park, Inverurie.

Kinder surprise for drugs squad

A dad has been jailed after being caught with thousands of pounds of cocaine stashed beneath insulation in his loft – as well as inside a Kinder Egg.

Connor Smart was snared after police received intelligence that he was involved in the supply of drugs at his home in Aberdeen.

A warrant was executed and a systematic search of the 26-year-old’s address uncovered more than £7,000 of the Class A drug.

Smart’s efforts to hide his illegal stash in places throughout the property were not enough to fool officers and Smart has now been jailed over the matter.

Singer, 83, went wrong way on roundabout

An 83-year-old singer has been allowed to keep his licence despite driving the wrong way around a roundabout in full view of police.

Lewis Pacitti got confused on approach to the Port Elphinstone roundabout on the A96 and entered it going in the wrong direction.

Fortunately, eagle-eyed police officers saw what was happening and quickly managed to block off the roundabout and stop a potential head-on collision.

Now the pensioner, who performs for elderly audiences at care homes, has appeared in court over the incident but has been let off with points rather than a driving ban.

Paedophile’s secret phone

A paedophile has been jailed after police found his secret mobile phone hidden under a chest of drawers.

Peter Davidson was required to alert police to any new online usernames or accounts and make devices available for inspection due to a previous conviction related to indecent images of children.

But the 31-year-old was caught with the secret mobile phone, which also had software installed on it that could hide his browser history and IP address.

Fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Davidson had previously been convicted, in 2017, of offences relating to indecent images of children and sexual communication with a child.

Aberdeen graduate killed mum and toddler

A Dundee app designer killed a woman and her two-year-old daughter before burying their bodies in concrete under his kitchen, a court has heard.

Andrew Innes stabbed 25-year-old Bennylyn Burke before bludgeoning her with a hammer and asphyxiated her little girl Jellica.

The 52-year-old has gone on trial accused of a double murder at his home in Troon Avenue in early 2021.

He denies murder, claiming a special defence of diminished responsibility.

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Takeaways boss illegally employed asylum seekers

The hard-up owner of two Chinese takeaways has admitted to illegally employing asylum seekers at his two Aberdeen businesses.

Wengang Liu, 41, was “not doing well financially” so brought in cheap labour to staff the city’s Golden Crown and O’ Kitchen takeaways.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told that despite none of the five workers having the right to work in the UK he paid them cash-in-hand for an undetermined period.

His illegal immigration operation was eventually halted when officers from the UK’s Home Office swooped on Liu’s premises.

Health board in court after OAP died because of staff shortages

A pensioner who died of head injuries following multiple falls in Raigmore Hospital was not receiving the care he needed because of staff shortages, a court has heard.

NHS Highland has appeared in court and admitted breaching health and safety laws in relation to the care of Colin Lloyd, 78.

Inverness Sheriff Court was told when the pensioner arrived at the hospital he was assessed as being a mobile patient at “high risk” of falling and required one-to-one care.

However, despite repeated requests for additional nursing staff none were made available and Mr Lloyd suffered a series of falls on the ward, ultimately causing fatal injuries.

Drug addict can’t remember racially abusing shopkeeper

A 36-year-old who hasn’t been drug-free since he was 12 racially abused a shopkeeper before assaulting a police officer who found him unconscious in the street.

Daniel Bertram walked into the A&C Smart shop on King Street in Aberdeen and immediately started knocking bags of crisps to the floor.

When challenged, he racially abused the shop owner and smashed a pane of glass on his way out.

He was later found unconscious on Park Street and assaulted an officer who tried to make sure he was okay.

Weekend cannabis smoker caught over the limit

A man who described himself as a “weekend, casual, social smoker” has been banned from the road after being caught driving while under the influence of cannabis.

Cameron Jolly, 23, was snared when officers pulled him over on Virginia Street in Aberdeen and could smell cannabis coming from the vehicle.

A test found he had three-and-a-half times the legal limit of cannabis in his system.

Fiscal depute Lydia Ross told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened just before 10pm on January 23 last year when officers pulled Jolly over.

Prisoner’s death probed

An inquiry into the death of a prisoner in his cell at HMP Grampian has found that no actions by guards could have prevented it.

Alan Hastings, 53, died on the morning of January 21 2021 after two prison officers had carried out morning checks and deemed him fit.

When they returned to deliver a carton of milk sometime later they found Hastings, from Kintore, unresponsive in bed and he was declared dead soon after.

As is mandatory for any death in custody, a fatal accident inquiry was held in October last year and the findings have now been published.

Drink-driver hid in bush

A woman was found hiding in a bush after crashing her car while almost four times the legal alcohol limit.

Sacha King jumped in her car after a row with her boyfriend despite having been drinking.

When she crashed a short distance away, police were called but arrived to find the vehicle empty and the driver missing.

After a brief search, they found the 33-year-old attempting to hide in a nearby bush and arrested her.

Sexual truth or dare game lands mum on sex offender’s register

A mum has been placed on the sex offender’s register after she encouraged a group of children to carry out sexual dares in her home.

Kirstyann Kavanagh bought cider and wine for the Buckie youngsters and then instructed some of them to kiss and touch each other sexually, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

The 23-year-old at one point said that anyone not willing to play truth or dare must leave and she demanded they hand over their mobile phones to stop them from filming the game.

Fiscal depute Sharon Ralph said the children, all aged between 13 and 15, were invited to Kavanagh’s then home in Carnie Place, Buckie, on October 9 2021.

Indecent images found at Nairn man’s home

Police searching a Nairn man’s home following a tip-off found computer equipment containing 199 indecent images of children.

The force received intelligence that illegal images were being accessed from Ryan Davis’ home address.

A search of the home turned up a laptop and external hard drive containing a total of 199 indecent images of children.

Davis, 41, admitted a charge of taking or permitting to be taken or making indecent images of children between January 1 2021 and February 2 2022.

Young driver lost control

A teenager lost control of his car and crashed into an oncoming vehicle – just four months after passing his driving test.

Quinn Murray was driving back from visiting his dad on the A97 near Huntly when he took a bend too quickly and lost control.

The 19-year-old spun across onto the wrong side of the road and collided with a car coming the other way.

Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt in the crash, which was put partially down to a fuel spill on the road, as well as Murray’s excessive speed.

‘I thought it was cash, not crack’

A drug trafficker who was caught with £93,000 of cocaine has been jailed after claiming that he thought he was transporting cash.

Jason Hawe was stopped by police in Aberdeen after officers spotted a car that intelligence indicated was being used in the illegal drugs trade.

Police recovered nearly half a kilo of cocaine which was above average purity and could have been adulterated to bulk it out for onward supply.

Hawe, of Fountain Grange, Aberdeen, admitted being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug in December 2021 at Seaton Road in the city and elsewhere, when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Drink-driver caught in his driveway

An Aberdeen drink-driver was caught when he pulled into his driveway and found police at his home on an unrelated matter.

Lewis Smith, 43, parked his vehicle and officers could tell he was unsteady on his feet and smelling of alcohol.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told how the stepdad almost immediately came clean, telling police: “I have been an idiot and I have been drinking and caught drink-driving”.

He claimed he’d only driven a short distance in his red Ford to get away from his Aberdeen home after an argument with his stepchild on November 27 last year.

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Man’s brutal attack on pensioner

An 82-year-old Elgin man was viciously attacked after he opened his back door to a stranger.

The OAP thought the silhouette through the glass was his brother but when he opened his door he was faced with 35-year-old Arron Lonie.

After first asking to speak to a person the pensioner didn’t know, Lonie launched into his brutal attack, Inverness Sheriff Court heard.

Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood told the court that the octogenarian had been home alone at his Inchbroom Walk property when he heard a knock on the back door at around 7.30pm.

Pervert’s sex act at Dunelm

A man has been found guilty of public indecency after he carried out a sex act in the women’s toilets of a popular Aberdeen home furnishings store.

Stewart Murray sneaked into a cubicle at Dunelm on Links Road and “smiled” at the horrified female customer who walked in on him.

The serial sex offender – who was branded “depraved” in 2021 for defecating in a garden in front children – denied the charges, but a jury took just over 10 minutes to find him guilty.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told the 49-year-old was already subject to a court order banning him from female or unisex public toilets at the time of the offence.

Drunk serviceman rolled car

A serviceman who drove his car after a marathon drinking session wound up trapped in the vehicle after it overturned on the A96.

Jamie Kelly rolled his car on the Forres-to-Elgin road following a full night and morning of drinking on his return to Kinloss barracks after Christmas leave.

It took the help of multiple bystanders to drag the 32-year-old from the upturned car at around 7.30pm on January 9 last year, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.

Fiscal depute Emma MacEwan said witnesses travelling eastbound on the busy road had to take evasive action after coming across a bumper lying in the middle of the road.

Axe threat neighbour fined

A man who grabbed a Viking axe from his home and threatened to smash up a neighbour’s car has been fined £320 and ordered to surrender the replica weapon.

William Gibson, 51, had gone to the man’s door after his wife returned home in tears because the motability vehicle she used to help care for her daughter was purposefully blocked in.

But when the argument escalated Gibson returned to his home and grabbed the Viking axe, which had a 4.5 inch metal head, and made the threats.

Gibson appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and possessing a bladed article in a public place.

War films excuse for indecent image

A pensioner caught with an indecent image of a young girl on his laptop has claimed he was downloading old war films when the image appeared on his device.

Ronald Singer didn’t delete the category C image, though, and when police searched his device he was arrested, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

The 67-year-old said the image, of a young girl aged between eight and 10, had appeared on his device after he used a torrent site to download war films.

Fiscal depute Eabha Sweeney said the one image was created on March 18 last year and was found on April 28 last year after a search warrant was executed on his Cove home.

‘There will be murder’

A jealous ex who hated the fact his former girlfriend had found a new partner bombarded her with murder threats and turned up at her door in the middle of the night.

Ryan Craib called the woman 57 times in the space of one hour after he suspected she might be with her new partner.

In one of 12 voicemails the 33-year-old threatened: “I swear on my mother’s f****** grave there’s going to be a murder.”

Fiscal depute Eabha Sweeney told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that the pair had been in a relationship for 17 months but that it ended in December 2021.

American tourist banned over crash

An American tourist who drove on the wrong side of the A887 causing a serious accident has been banned from UK roads for two years.

Holidaymaker Matthew Lindgren, 42,  was “flustered” and “distracted” after missing a turning and allowed his vehicle to cross onto the opposite carriageway, where it collided with an oncoming car.

The other driver suffered two broken ankles, a bruised pelvis and cut arm, while Lindgren had three broken ribs, a fractured vertebra and internal injuries.

Lindgren was not present at an earlier hearing but admitted a charge of causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Chef who choked partner was having hallucinations

A former chef who took a cocktail of drink and drugs then beat up his partner claims he was having hallucinations at the time.

Jamie Bruce gave the woman a swollen eye, bleeding nose and burst lip during the drunken row, during which he also punched her face as she begged him to stop choking her.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told the 34-year-old pushed her onto a sofa and held her throat for 10 seconds – stopping her from breathing.

Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told the court that the couple had been in a relationship since January last year.

Pensioners guilty of abducting sheriff

Two pensioners who assaulted a north-east sheriff by trying to carry out a “citizen’s arrest” in the street have been found guilty of abduction.

“Politically-obsessed” William Curtis, from Aberchirder, and his friend Philip Mitchell, from Macduff, filmed themselves targeting Sheriff Robert McDonald outside Banff Sheriff Court in 2021.

Both have now been convicted of assault and abduction after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

Curtis was also found guilty of a further charge that he threatened First Minister Nicola Sturgeon by email and also in a Facebook post that made mention of “assassination”.

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