Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Drink-driving pensioner spotted swerving across road
A drink-driving Banchory pensioner who was so out of it she didn’t even spot the blue lights of a tailing police car has been banned from driving for a second time.
Angela Gray, 76, was spotted swerving across both lanes on South Deeside Road near Banchory and had a partially drunk bottle of vodka in the footwell of her car.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told Gray has been battling alcoholism for the last 20 years and had relapsed.
Six-time drink-driver banned from the roads for a decade
An Inverness driver caught behind the wheel for the sixth time while over the drink-drive limit has been banned from the roads for 10 years.
Billy Fraser was already disqualified when police spotted him in his car outside a convenience store.
He smelled of alcohol and testing later revealed him to be three-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit.
Cocky thief caught showing off stolen Rolex on Snapchat
A cocky Aberdeen thief was caught after showing off a stolen Rolex and cash in Snapchat videos.
Brandon Phillips swiped £900 from his friend’s bedroom as the pair socialised together at an address on Cruickshank Crescent, Aberdeen.
The duo then drove to Kittybrewster police station together as his friend needed to assist officers with inquiries into an unrelated matter.
Teen attacker kicked and punched disabled boy unconscious
An Aberdeen teenager who brutally assaulted a disabled boy in a row over playground rumours has been ordered to pay his victim £2,000 in compensation.
The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, must also shell out a further £1,500 by means of punishment from Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
The boy left his 15-year-old victim, who has cerebral palsy, unconscious and with three facial fractures after he repeatedly punched him as he lay on the ground.
Man involved with drug gang ordered to hand over proceeds of crime
A man who became involved with a major Highland drugs gang has been ordered to hand over more than £7,000 to prosecutors under proceeds of crime legislation.
Ryan Ross, 28, was part of an operation that flooded the Highlands with narcotics, run by former footballer Alasdair Finlayson, 26.
The operation used “stash sites” in wooded areas in the countryside to hide drugs, cash and bulking agents to cut the cocaine.
Inverurie man on murder bid charge involving samurai sword
A man is facing an attempted murder charge after a disturbance in Inverurie allegedly involving a knife and a samurai sword.
Police were called to the incident on Kellands Road in Inverurie on Friday night and arrested one man while another was taken to hospital.
Kellands Road was taped off between the junctions at Westfield Road and George Square, with police and ambulance crews on the scene.
Alleged scam victim told she couldn’t be repaid because Batman director had bank card
A woman who was allegedly scammed by the mum of a fake Hollywood star was told she couldn’t be repaid because the director of Batman was holding onto a bank card, a court has heard.
Ann Dunlop, 67, is accused of conning tens of thousands of pounds out of people who believed they were helping her daughter to take on big acting roles.
The pensioner, who’s from Beauly, has denied obtaining £35,368 by fraud from her businessman brother and other relatives between March and December 2016.
Man bottled friend twice after drinking session in Aberdeen
A man has been jailed for bottling a friend twice after a drinking session at a property in Aberdeen.
James Summers had joined a group of acquaintances and was consuming a “significant amount of alcohol” when an argument broke out.
The 51-year-old then suddenly began hitting his victim over the head repeatedly with a glass vodka bottle, causing it to smash.
Careless driver who caused Alford school bus crash spared roads ban
A careless driver who caused a school bus to crash through a wall has been spared a roads ban so that he can keep his job.
Around 20 Alford Academy pupils were on the single-decker coach when Martin Coutts tried to overtake it but instead crashed into an oncoming car.
Coutts’ grey Volkswagen Golf rebounded into the path of the Watermill Coaches vehicle and was pushed along the road, through a drystone dyke and ended up lodged under the bus.
Thief savagely beat Aberdeen man with his own walking stick
A violent thug has admitted stealing another man’s walking stick and using it as a weapon during a vicious assault in Aberdeen.
Steven Ross and another male set about their victim as he left his flat in Hutcheon Court with a friend to walk her dog.
The pair initially asked for cigarettes, but when the man said he did not have any, Ross, 48, turned violent and hit him in the face.
Jilted ex tried to win back girlfriend with messages on Amazon orders
A rejected boyfriend bombarded his ex with lengthy letters and messages before resorting to bank transfer messages and notes on Amazon deliveries.
Adrian Kinsey refused to accept his relationship with the woman, between March 2021 and January 2023, was over even after she blocked him on all platforms.
After she asked the 45-year-old to move out, he then harassed her with unwanted contact “in every possible way”, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
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County lines drug dealer ordered to hand over thousands of pounds
A man who was a member of a cross-border “county lines” drugs gang has been ordered to hand over more than £3,000 to prosecutors under proceeds of crime legislation.
Zamar Green, 21, was part of an organised crime group which supplied cocaine and heroin from a base in London to users in Aberdeen.
He was given a two-year sentence at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to drug dealing.
Police abandoned chase after dangerous drug-driver hit 100mph
A man has been banned from the road after a 100mph police chase, which had to be abandoned because it was so dangerous.
Scot Murray was driving a friend’s car when he spotted police on the B993 Inverurie to Kemnay road.
Unsure whether or not he was insured to drive the vehicle, the 25-year-old put his foot down and sped off.
Cemetery ‘square go’ left man’s skull fractured and finger hanging off
A man who agreed to meet at an Inverness cemetery for a “one-on-one” fight was jumped by six men and left with a fractured skull and his finger hanging off.
Scott Hunter, 39, arranged the “square go” with his victim at Tomnahurich Cemetery in Inverness but when the man showed up he was attacked by half a dozen men, including Hunter.
The man was beaten so badly that he suffered four fractures to his skull and was left with the end of his index finger hanging on by one tendon.
Essex drug dealer found with cocaine and cash in Highlands
A man from Essex had admitted drug dealing after being caught with cocaine and cash in his car in the Highlands.
Antoni Anastas was stopped by police who noticed a light out on his vehicle, but his red eyes and nervous demeanour led to a drugs search.
Police found cocaine, digital scales and thousands of pounds in cash during searches of Anastas, his car and the address he was staying at.
Friends assaulted clubbers outside nightclub during closing time ‘melee’
Two men who assaulted a pair of fellow clubbers in Aberdeen have been handed unpaid work for their part in the “melee”, which saw one of their victims kicked unconscious.
Alexander Henderson, 21, repeatedly kicked and punched another man until he passed out on the ground during the assault outside Underground nightclub on Bridge Street.
When the victim’s friend tried to intervene, Craig Dawson, 21, got involved and punched that man to the head, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
The incidents were caught on CCTV, which was shown to the men ahead of their appearance in the dock.
Man stabbed in back with kitchen knife in brutal Inverness street attack
An armed attacker inflicted a life-threatening injury on a man after stabbing him in the back with a large kitchen knife in Inverness.
William Smith, 23, had earlier clashed with his victim on the phone during an abusive call before launching the brutal assault.
His victim suffered a collapsed lung and spent a month in hospital following the assault.
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Killer who stabbed BBs leader to remain in mental health hospital
A man who killed an Aberdeen Boys’ Brigade leader as she sat eating her dinner is to remain in hospital for treatment.
Lam Beaton, 25, repeatedly stabbed Sherry Bruce at her flat in Aberdeen on April 3 last year.
The popular 58-year-old – who tried to fight off a silent Beaton – never survived the unprovoked attack, having suffered a total of nine wounds.
Seafood firm fined £80,000 after deckhand dragged to his death
A north seafood company has been fined £80,000 over health and safety breaches in the wake of the death of a deckhand who was pulled overboard by creel ropes.
Mark Elder, a father-of-one from Thurso, was part of a team shooting creels manually from the North Star in bad weather in February 2018 when his leg was snagged by a rope.
Tain Sheriff Court heard that a risk assessment, which ought to have been carried out following Scrabster Seafoods Ltd’s purchase and refit of the vessel, had not happened.
Fraserburgh murder accused in court
A teenager has appeared in court accused of murdering a man in Fraserburgh during an alleged stabbing at the weekend.
Alfie Whelan, 19, was arrested and charged following a disturbance on Watermill Road, around 6pm on Sunday June 4.
Emergency services found a seriously injured 24-year-old man at the scene, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The dead man has been named as Michael Jenkins, from Cumbria.
Jury convict man of brutal ‘flamethrower’ attack
A jury took just 12 minutes to find a man guilty of a brutal assault on his friend using a makeshift “flamethrower” and a metal walking stick.
Quincy De Gale, known as Bryce, brutally attacked Michael Davidson after turning up at his flat on Berryden Road in the middle of the night.
Bryce, 49, had denied the charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement – but after a two-day trial, a jury took just over 10 minutes to find him guilty by majority.
Man’s computers contained an hour-and-a-half of vile videos of children
A Highland man was caught with more than an hour-and-a-half of vile videos featuring indecent images of children on his devices, a court has heard.
The footage was found by cyber crimes investigators inspecting devices seized at Simon Bishop’s home after intelligence was received by police.
The investigation also uncovered more than 300 indecent still images of children, of which five were category A, the most severe. Four were category B and the rest category C.
Bishop, 43, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge relating to the material.
Supervision for Stonehaven man who made threats to receptionist
A Stonehaven man who called his doctor’s office and told staff he was ready to “take someone hostage” is “engaging well” with court-ordered supervision.
Henry Evans, 22, spoke to the female receptionist at Stonehaven Medical Centre and warned her he was “ready for the kill” and wanted to “taste human blood”.
As the woman tried to calm Evans down and keep him on the call he announced he would “cut out” people’s tongues and “gouge their eyes out”.
Danger dog facing death after sinking teeth into tradesman’s leg
A family dog who bit a tradesman leaving him needing medical treatment is facing death unless it can be proven he’s not a danger to the public.
Bailey, a Staffordshire pitbull cross, left the internet fitter needing antibiotics and a tetanus jab after he sunk his teeth into his leg.
Bailey’s owner, Brian Scott, had him on a chain lead at the time after the worker expressed concerns about the dog’s behaviour, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Inverness double rapist refuses to admit guilt
A sex offender who attacked and raped two teenage girls in the Highlands was jailed for six years today after claiming that the victims fabricated evidence.
Toby Deacon first struck when he was aged 15 in an assault committed against a 14-year-old schoolgirl at a house in Inverness on May 31 in 2016.
During the attack he restrained the teenager and removed her lower clothing before subjecting her to a rape.
Man and woman in court accused of Kyle of Lochalsh murder
Two people have appeared in court today charged with the murder of a 61-year-old man in Kyle of Lochalsh.
Michael Joyce, 31, and Antonia Gunn, 26, appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court this afternoon in connection with the death Michael White earlier this year.
Mr White was found dead at a property in Plock Road on April 23 and detectives have been investigating the circumstances ever since.
Aberdeen DJ accused of two rapes
An Aberdeen DJ is to stand trial accused of raping two women more than three years apart.
Alisdair Randalls, who has performed as DJ Ali Randalls, is accused of carrying out the first attack on December 3 2015 at an Aberdeen flat.
It’s claimed the 29-year-old seized the woman by the wrists, restrained and straddled her as well as grabbed her neck.
Woman threatened to have ex tortured and said she’d ‘skin his face’
An Aberdeen woman who sent threatening voice notes and messages to her ex had “got mad” over insensitive comments about her late brother, a court has heard.
Taylar Wetherly threatened to have her former partner “tortured”, said she’d “skin his face”, kick him in his colostomy bag and “stick a baseball bat up his a***” in a series of vile messages.
The 25-year-old first sent her ex-partner a message request on Facebook messenger and once that was accepted sent a barrage of threats over June 7 and 8 last year.
Fiscal depute Kate Scarborough said there had been “ongoing tensions” between Wetherly and her ex.
Man ordered to pay woman £1,000 after drunkenly knocking her out
A Norwegian man has been ordered to pay a woman £1,000 after drunkenly knocking her unconscious while on a work team building trip to Aberdeen.
Christer Landoy had “far too much to drink” while out with colleagues in Soul on Union Street.
The 32-year-old pushed a woman, causing her to fall over and hit her head, knocking her out.
Offender to be tagged after biting man’s thumb so hard it ‘crumbled’
An offender who bit a man’s thumb so hard that the tip “crumbled” has been placed on an electronic tag.
Ian Stewart, 37, hit the man on the head and pulled him to the ground before using his teeth with such force that he drew blood.
When his victim later attended hospital due to the pain, it was found that the bite had fractured his thumb.
Mum suspected of drink-driving fined after failing to provide samples
A mum has been banned from the road after failing to provide breath samples to police who suspected her of drink-driving with her 11-year-old daughter in the car.
Seonaid Christie had been drinking the previous evening but thought she would be safe to drive when she decided to take her daughter to visit friends the next afternoon.
But the 42-year-old was stopped by police who noticed her driving unusually slowly on the A90 and needlessly applying the brakes.
Christie then failed to provide breath samples for analysis at the station.
Shopper punched Tesco worker in row over diluting juice
A shopper who punched a Tesco worker in a row over diluting juice says he has a letter of apology for his victim – should he ever be welcome back in the store.
James Gordon was shopping in the Forres supermarket when he punched the shelf stacker in the stomach and repeatedly told him to “f*** off”.
Elgin Sheriff Court heard the “remorseful and apologetic” 40-year-old, who has a problem with alcohol, is now eager to give his victim a letter of apology and “shake his hand”.
Owner of huskies who killed sheep at farm ordered to repay farmer
A dog owner whose two huskies mauled and killed two sheep before one of them was shot has been ordered to pay compensation to the farmer.
Belinda King’s dogs were spotted running wild with blood on their faces in a field at Mayne Farm near Elgin in the early hours of the morning.
By the time the farmer, who also owns Allarburn Farm Shop, awoke to the sounds of barking and could react, the 43-year-old’s huskies had killed two of his sheep.
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