Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Drink-driving ban for woman who got into car as police looked on
A woman has been banned from driving after she got behind the wheel in full view of police officers – who already knew she was drunk.
Eve Graham appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after she was caught TWICE behind the wheel while more than five times the limit.
On one bizarre and brazen occasion, the 34-year-old attempted to take her car out for a spin in full view of police officers, who she’d spoken to just an hour before and who knew she was very drunk.
Her solicitor, Lisa Reilly, told the court that Graham was “ashamed and embarrassed” by her actions.
Man drunkenly hit girlfriend over head with plastic chair
A 63-year-old first-offender has found himself in court after hitting his girlfriend over the head with a chair during a drunken row.
Graham Simpson had turned to drink after losing his job and having no luck with several interviews.
When, after a day on the drink, his partner came around, the pair quickly became embroiled in a heated row.
Jail for paedophile who secretly videoed young girls in Aberdeen
A sex offender who was caught filming young girls in Aberdeen city centre without their knowledge has been handed a prison sentence.
Greig Dow appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing after he admitted possessing more than 5,500 indecent images of children and over 19 hours of video footage.
Among the footage seized following a raid of the 41-year-old’s home was numerous videos featuring Dow and a young child.
Man jailed over Elgin Starbucks sex assault and rape threats
A man who sexually assaulted one woman and threatened to rape another inside Elgin’s Starbucks has been jailed for 58 weeks.
James Shewan did not know the two young women when he sat down with them in the coffee shop and began making sexual remarks.
He then grabbed one of the women and put his hands inside her clothes to touch her chest and told the other: “How about I rape you?”
Eight people appear in court over alleged Castlegate attack in Aberdeen
Eight people have appeared in court over an alleged group assault in Aberdeen that sent two people to hospital.
It is understood that police received a report just after 11pm on September 30 this year that around a dozen people were punching and kicking a man in the Castlegate.
Another woman was also violently set upon by two people, it’s claimed.
Dylan Duncan and Brandon Emslie, both 21, and Lisa Steppie, 24, all appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court charged with assault to permanent disfigurement and an additional single charge of assault.
Man knocked down pedestrian and sped car at teens after taunts
A man has been jailed after admitting speeding his car towards a group of teens and injuring another pedestrian.
Jay Ritchie, 35, was locked up for 21 months at Peterhead’s Sheriff Court for causing injury by dangerous driving.
The incident unfolded after the youngsters, who were aged 15 and 16, taunted Ritchie after they saw he had been the victim of an attack.
Former Aberdeen daredevil stamped on head of ex’s new boyfriend
A former Aberdeen daredevil left his ex’s new boyfriend with facial fractures which needed surgery after stamping on his head in a brutal late-night attack.
Robbie Borthwick had been out drinking with his ex-partner and a number of others but flew into a rage when he saw her with her new man at the end of the night.
The 26-year-old – who has previously been prosecuted for scaling Aberdeen Royal Infrmary’s car park while blindfolded – knocked his victim to the ground with a punch before following up with a stamp to his head.
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Man ‘blamed for Shaun Ritchie disappearance’ knocked down pedestrian
A man has been jailed after admitting speeding his car towards a group of teens and injuring another pedestrian.
Jay Ritchie, 35, was locked up for 21 months at Peterhead’s Sheriff Court for causing injury by dangerous driving.
The incident unfolded after the youngsters, who were aged 15 and 16, taunted Ritchie after they saw he had been the victim of an attack.
Thug threatens stranger with baseball bat in case of mistaken identity
A man who brandished a baseball bat at a complete stranger and asked him “Are you scared?” was threatening the wrong person.
Stuart Gerrard appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted walking into a Premier Store in Turriff and approaching a customer before waving the bat around aggressively.
One employee managed to grab Gerrard and restrained him on the ground before removing the bat from his hands as they waited for police to arrive.
Man jailed after obtaining sick videos of toddlers being sexually abused
A Fraserburgh man has been jailed after admitting to downloading more than 10 hours of sickening videos and hundreds of indecent images – with some involving toddlers.
Mark Duthie, 42, pled guilty to the offences, claiming he had just been “curious” to see the images.
Fiscal depute Ruaridh McAllister told the court that Duthie’s house had been raided in November 2021 and police had seized his mobile phone, laptop and a tablet.
Drug courier ends up pepper sprayed in burn after 100mph police chase
A masked drug courier ended up pepper sprayed and sitting in a burn after leading police on a 100mph car chase and a foot race over farmland.
Scott Findlay also reversed towards an officer at speed, forcing him to jump out of the way before accelerating off.
But the determined officers did not give up and pursued the 30-year-old across Aberdeen in their vehicle and, after he crashed, chased him on foot across several fields.
Man hurled racist abuse at B&B owner then ran him down
A man who hurled racist abuse at an Inverness bed and breakfast owner before running him down with his car in a drunken attack has been jailed.
Steven Douglas was three times the drink-drive limit when he got behind the wheel following an altercation, during which he had made racist remarks and threats towards the business owners.
He rammed another vehicle causing £6,400 of damage and then used his vehicle as “a weapon” to knock down the guesthouse proprietor.
Claw hammer-wielding teen attacked gunman in Aberdeen high-rise
A claw hammer-wielding teenager attacked a gunman who turned up at his door in an Aberdeen high-rise.
David McKenzie, now 20, was just 18 when he set about the man after spotting the weapon, which eventually turned out to be a BB gun.
McKenzie’s victim was left with multiple scars to his head and still suffers nightmares about the attack.
Woman in court after American Akita sinks teeth into man’s hand
An Aberdeenshire dog walker whose American Akita bit a man who tried to pet it has been ordered to pay him £200 in compensation.
Laura Turner, 38, had been walking her pet in a village near Inverurie when it approached a passer-by and brushed against him.
But when the man stopped to pet the dog, who wasn’t named in court, it reacted angrily and sunk its teeth into his hand.
Moray child molester jailed for attacks on three youngsters
A Moray child molester who subjected youngsters to a 14-year catalogue of cruel and degrading treatment has been jailed.
Thomas Dow, 40, preyed on two girls and a boy as he subjected them to repeated sexual abuse and violence.
Dow, from Lhanbryde, targeted the children at addresses in Inverkeithing and Rosyth and during car trips when he was supposed to be caring for them.
Cannabis-fuelled firearms incident in Banchory
Armed police were called to the home of a man who had removed his wife’s shotgun from a locked gun cabinet following an argument over an unwanted gift.
Andrew Walters’ wife returned home from a meeting during the early evening of October 9 this year to find the front door locked – and when she looked at her phone she saw that her husband had forwarded a picture of a shotgun she owned.
The WhatsApp message also included a garbled message that suggested he had gotten hold of the keys to her gun cabinet and had removed a shotgun.
‘A Scotsman put my dog down’: Woman’s claim as she attacked bouncers
A woman bit a bouncer at an Inverness city centre nightspot and told him: “A Scotsman put my dog down.”
Rosalind Austin made the bizarre – and unsubstantiated – claim after she had been challenged by doormen over a bottle in her bag and refused to remove it.
She then started struggling with the door staff at Johnny Foxes, during which she bit one on the hand and spat in both their faces.
Man in court on drugs charges following Portlethen police raid
A man has appeared in court in Aberdeen on drugs charges after £20,000 of heroin and crack cocaine were recovered in a Portlethen police raid.
Lamin Maria, 52, is accused of two counts of being concerned in the supplying of drugs and one of possession of a controlled drug
He is also charged with obstructing a search, two counts of assaulting officers and one of resisting, obstructing or hindering police.
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Man jailed after throttling girlfriend and urging her to kill herself
A Peterhead man has been jailed for 20 months and ordered to stay away from his partner after admitting a campaign of domestic abuse.
Matthew Cox, 33, appeared via video link from HMP Grampian at Peterhead Sheriff Court and admitted abusing his girlfriend earlier this year.
Cox admitted abusing his partner over six months between January 1 and June 25, 2023.
Builder avoids ban after fleeing scene of accident
A Fraserburgh builder has been allowed to keep his licence after crashing his car and telling police it had been stolen.
John Whyte, 53, admitted to careless driving and attempting to pervert the course of justice at Peterhead Sheriff Court.
The court heard that around noon on November 22, 2021, Whyte had been driving his Peugeot 207 on Henderson Road in Fraserburgh but had “lost control” and had driven on the opposite side of the road.
‘Deranged’ man stormed into McDonald’s kitchen
An Aberdeen man who burst into the kitchen of a McDonald’s restaurant and screamed at staff was suffering from cocaine paranoia, a court has heard.
John Paul Gallagher appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted acting in a “deranged” manner at the Union Street fast-food outlet.
It was stated that the 34-year-old terrified staff by shouting and screaming at them before touching fryers containing boiling oil.
Peterhead man jailed for 18 months after admitting domestic abuse
A Peterhead man has been jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of domestic abuse.
Steven McCormick, 42, was also ordered to stay away from his partner for three years.
Appearing at Peterhead’s Sheriff Court via video link from HMP Barlinnie, he admitted five charges of abusive and threatening behaviour, which took place on 27 and 28 May this year.
Family hurled threats and abuse after social media row about son’s sex life
A Turriff family hurled threats and abuse after men turned up at their door to remonstrate about their son’s sex life.
Derek, Sandra and son Ryan Simpson got into an altercation with the four visitors after they arrived unannounced at their home in June 2022.
A court was told the men “appeared agitated” and amputee Derek, 38, told them at one point: “I may only have one leg, but I will still bounce on you.”
Underage teen got challenged in shop about fake ID – so returned with axe
A teenager brandished an axe at a village shop after staff challenged him over his fake ID.
Ossian Maclellan was 17 when he tried his luck at the Spar store in Ardersier but ended up being escorted away following an exchange with staff and an altercation with another member of the public.
But he returned to the scene a short time later carrying a “hatchet-style axe”, which he pulled from behind his back before making threats.
Man threatened to kill ex-partner, her mother and the cat
A man who threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend, her mum and the family cat was later found to have started a wheelie bin fire outside their home.
Scott Morris appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted bombarding the woman with threatening messages over a fortnight.
In the messages the 32-year-old made threats to kill the woman, alongside threats to kill her family by setting fire to their house.
Dealers caught with £12,000 of cannabis and cocaine at retail park
Two dealers were caught attempting to traffic more than £12,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis into Perth.
Finlay Henderson, of Forres, and Alexander Forrester, of Edinburgh, were snared following a tip-off to police.
Officers descended on the pair as they parked up in blue Honda Civic at Inveralmond Retail Park, on the edge of the city.
Multiple bags and packages of cannabis and cocaine were seized from the car.
Domestic abuser gets life for savage murder of Aberdeen woman
An Aberdeen domestic abuser who murdered his partner in her own home and claimed “she deserved it” was jailed for life today.
A judge ordered that Christopher Cook should serve a minimum of 20 years in prison following the killing of Jacqueline Kerr, who died from head and neck injuries at her flat in Sunnyside Road, Aberdeen.
Lord Weir told Cook, 44, that he had committed “what can only have been a brutal and sustained assault upon her with tragic and fatal consequences”.
Man jailed after being caught driving while disqualified for the 26th time
A man caught driving while disqualified on 25 previous occasions has been locked up and banned from the roads for life.
Sheriff Sara Matheson told Allan Scott he has the worst driving record she has ever seen and said there was “no alternative” except a period of imprisonment.
Scott, 39, had already racked up more than two dozen convictions for ignoring court-imposed driving bans when police caught him behind the wheel on the Black Isle on October 4 this year.
As well as being uninsured, he also accelerated away from the officers, narrowly missing one.
High-risk Aberdeen paedophile jailed again
A notorious north-east paedophile has been sent back to prison after he lied to police about having a mobile phone – on which they found hundreds of child abuse videos.
Jordan Gall appeared via video link at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted hiding his mobile phone in a bush in an attempt to avoid detection by police officers.
When police found the phone they discovered the 28-year-old had downloaded more than 300 indecent videos of children – most of which were of the most serious category.
He had been placed on the sex offenders register only two months earlier.
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