Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
17-year-old dealer found with £51,000 drugs in bedroom
A teenage dealer caught with a £51,550 haul of ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis in his family home has been spared a custodial sentence due to his young age.
Andrew Spowart became addicted to drugs at 16 and after racking up debts he wound up using his own Aberdeen home as a “warehouse” for the stock, his solicitor said.
But he also dealt the Class A and B drugs to friends and acquaintances, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Customer’s bomb threat after setting off Tesco security alarms
A customer threatened to bomb supermarket workers’ homes after he was challenged about setting off a security alarm at the store.
Cornelius Stevenson told Tesco security staff: “I know where you live” before making the threat.
The confrontation came after he had set off security alarms trying to leave the store and was challenged over items in his bags.
Man carried baton for protection after four-day kidnap ordeal
A man who was caught with a police-style lock baton in Aberdeen city centre was carrying the weapon for protection after he was kidnapped and tortured, his lawyer has said.
Mariusz Kowalski was abducted by an organised crime gang that tormented him for four days.
The violent episode happened more than a decade ago in a case of mistaken identity, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Racially-abusive drunk threatened to ‘trash’ store
A man shouted racist abuse at shop staff, threatened to “trash” the store and toppled a sweet stand when they refused to sell him alcohol.
Nathan Cowie tried to buy a bottle of whisky at Station News in Inverness but staff rejected the sale because he was “too drunk to be served”.
The 24-year-old then said to one of them: “You’re not serving me because you’re a black person and I’m a white person”.
£13m conman ordered to hand over just £814
A crooked north-east businessman who made over £13 million from his life of crime has been ordered to hand over just £814.33 to prosecutors.
Alistair Greig, 69, masterminded a money-spinning Ponzi scheme which he used to fund a lavish lifestyle.
The dodgy financial advisor’s scam sucked in dozens of people in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Lincolnshire who placed their funds in so-called “guaranteed” high-interest accounts.
Thief caught wearing balaclava in stolen getaway car
A thief who struck three Aboyne homes in one night was caught by police as he fled the area in a stolen car while wearing a balaclava.
Jay Main, 21, targeted three properties – all in one night – after travelling from Aberdeen to rural Aberdeenshire.
He stole the keys to a getaway car along with a collection of random belongings from his victims, including a bank card, sunglasses, a pair of gloves and cleaning supplies.
Dangerous driver spared jail
A dangerous driver has avoided jail after fleeing the scene of a crash that left his cousin lying on the road with a broken neck.
Lee Morrison suffered a fractured skull and broken neck as he was thrown from the pick-up truck being driven by his relative Darren Morrison.
But when police arrived, Darren was nowhere to be seen and it wasn’t until the following day that the 30-year-old motorist was traced.
Cleaners sent to tidy hoarder’s home find second haul of indecent images
A hoarder was caught with over a thousand indecent images and videos of children for a second time after cleaners were sent to tidy his home.
The disturbing discovery was made just weeks after Keith Williams appeared in the dock, following a police search of his home.
Officers found 1,734 indecent images and 832 videos at the Lochinver property and the 50-year-old ferryman was later released on bail pending sentence in August last year.
Then three weeks later, Williams’ landlord sent cleaners to sort out his cluttered home.
Brazen couple had sex outside Union Square
A brazen couple who had sex on the pavement as children and commuters walked by have admitted public indecency charges in court.
Bartlomiej Balwierz and Yandu Horne were unable to keep their hands off each other outside Union Square shopping centre and had sexual intercourse in full view of members of the public, including schoolgirls.
The passionate pair were “unperturbed” by commuters as they “gyrated” on Market Street, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Cruel thief stole dying grandfather’s car
A thief has been locked up after stealing his dying grandad’s car, fleeing from police and then crashing it into a ditch.
Thomas MacDonald raked through his bedbound grandfather’s dresser at his assisted living accommodation in Rothienorman and took his car keys as he lay just yards away.
The 29-year-old, who was also disqualified at the time, drove the car to Aberdeen where he fled from police and crashed.
Parents deny mistreatment charges after baby dies
The parents of a three-month-old baby who died after allegedly ingesting drugs are to stand trial accused of mistreating him.
Amy Mary Beck, 31, and Kieran Sievwright, 24, are accused of causing Olly-James Sievwright – listed as their son – “unnecessary suffering” at a property in Fraserburgh.
The charge claims the duo did “cause or permit” controlled drugs – and individuals who were using the substances – to be close to Olly-James.
As a result, it is alleged the child was exposed to Mephedrone and MDMA.
Prosecutors claim Olly-James “ingested” Mephedrone, also known as M-CAT.
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Woman attacked neighbour with baseball bat
A 57-year-old woman has been handed a supervision order after she attacked her neighbour with a baseball bat.
Michele Smith lashed out with the weapon at the address of one of her neighbours on Tay Road in Aberdeen.
Smith – who appeared in court with a walking frame – left her victim with bruises to her lower leg, but also attempted to hit her on the head with the bat.
Man who photographed child caught with sick hoard of indecent images
A man who photographed a seven-year-old girl with her genitals exposed told police “that was rather silly of me” when they found his stash of child abuse material.
Andrew Burton was caught with a “large amount” of indecent images on various devices after police carried out a raid on his Elgin home.
One of the photos discovered was taken by Burton himself and featured a young girl.
Drug dealer stashed cocaine and heroin inside candyfloss tub
A drug dealer stashed thousands of pounds worth of cocaine and heroin in a candyfloss tub at his Aberdeen home.
Adam Merchant was caught after police received intelligence he was involved in drug dealing from his flat on Great Northern Road in Aberdeen.
The 29-year-old was found in the street with a package of drugs before even more were found in his flat – including stashed in a candyfloss tub.
Merchant confessed to police that he was a drug runner and was being paid £50 a day for his efforts.
Unemployed dad became drug courier to pay for family pet
A dad became a drug courier to pay for a family pet that his children had become attached to.
Thomas Clark, 36, was caught transporting two bags of cannabis, worth up to £14,850, in the boot of a car when he was stopped by police on the A95.
His solicitor said Clark became involved in the illegal operation so that he could afford to keep up payments on the animal.
100mph police chase ended when driver turned lights off
A dangerous driver has been locked up after leading police on a 100mph chase before turning his lights off and disappearing into the night.
Ciaran Howcroft sped off at high speed with his tyres screeching when police tried to pull him over in Inverurie.
Officers gave chase and the terrifying pursuit topped 100mph in a 60mph zone, with the 22-year-old dangerously undertaking and overtaking other vehicles.
Man cleared of flashing near school says accusation destroyed his life
A man falsely accused of being a flasher after being harassed by pupils outside a school has spoken of his “humiliation” as a court cleared him of the crime.
Jamie Devine, 43, always denied engaging in sexual activity in front of a 17-year-old girl as he waited in a bus stop on the A90 outside Ellon Academy but had to go to Aberdeen Sheriff Court to prove it.
The trial heard evidence from a girl, now 18, and boy, now 17, who both claimed they had seen Mr Devine touching himself through his jogging bottoms pocket as they stood having a cigarette at the bus stop.
Ex-prisoner drink-drives his way back into jail
A former prisoner who was looking forward to his first festive season out of jail wound up back in the cells on Christmas Day after drink-driving for 17 miles.
Damien Dyer was meant to spend his first Christmas at liberty with friends and family in Aberdeen on December 25 2020, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
However, the 45-year-old ended up in custody for his fourth Christmas Day running after he made the decision to drink-drive from Aberdeen to Banchory.
Man threatened to stab neighbour who refused to open communal door
A man who was locked out of his home threatened to stab a neighbour who refused to open the communal door for him, a court has heard.
Sebastian Percival, 19, sought his neighbour’s help after finding an external door that was usually left open had been shut, effectively locking him out of the building.
But when the man said Percival’s predicament was “not his problem” the teenager lost his temper and made the threat.
Drunk son hurled vodka bottle at parents’ Land Rover
A son who was confronted about his drinking by his concerned parents hurled vile abuse at them before causing £600 worth of damage to their Land Rover with a vodka bottle.
Richard Davidson called his own mum a “f****** slag” and his dad a “piece of s***” after they spoke to him about his secret drinking, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Ryan Diamond told the court how the 23-year-old kicked off after his parents discovered he’d consumed alcohol despite knowing how it affects his mental state and mood.
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Man called partner ‘fat and ugly’
A man subjected his former partner to a campaign of abuse over more than three years.
James Ferguson told the woman she was “fat and ugly”, monitored her mobile phone use, demanded sex and flew into a rage when she refused.
He also targeted the woman physically, on one occasion striking her before telling her to “man up” when she fell to the floor.
Grieving husband’s bar brawl with rowdy football fan
A grieving husband beat up and stamped on a football fan who said his team was “s***” in a heated bar brawl in Inverurie.
Alastair Maitland had been drinking in the Drouthy Laird in Inverurie with his son before the pair planned to scatter his wife’s ashes the next day.
But a “rowdy” football fan began engaging in banter with the 62-year-old, which quickly escalated.
Deaths of Oban pensioners to be probed by sheriff
The deaths of two pensioners who were killed by a mentally ill neighbour are to be probed on the orders of Scotland’s top law officer.
Ex-SAS soldier Martyn Smith, 73, and John Whyte, 75, died after being brutally attacked by Oskars Rancevs in a row over rubbish bins.
Rancevs, 37, pushed Smith to the ground before kicking and jumping on him while Whyte was booted in the stomach during the incident in Oban, Argyll.
Man grabbed ex by the throat
A man grabbed his ex by the throat and told her: “This isn’t assault because I am not squeezing.”
Ross Spalding attacked the woman after she told him that his anger issues were the cause of their break-up, Inverness Sheriff Court heard.
After the assault, he sent a text message to her saying there was “no excuse for his behaviour” and would hand himself in to police.
Man rained more than a dozen punches on victim
A man pinned a reveller down and punched him more than a dozen times during a “brutal” attack in an Inverurie bar.
Warren Young had been sitting at a table drinking with two friends and his victim when he suddenly reached across and started raining blows down on the man.
The 47-year-old only stopped punching the man when a friend intervened and separated them.
Bearded dragon Coco put down after owner neglected it for a whole month
A pet owner who neglected his bearded dragon so badly that a vet had to put it down has been handed a year-long animal ban.
The awful condition of Coco was only discovered when his owner Gary Ross got arrested and his own mum discovered the dying lizard in his Dufftown home.
Coco’s eyes were stuck shut, he was extremely thin and dehydrated, had suffered muscle loss and was struggling to eat, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
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