Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Suspended Stonehaven minister convicted of drug-driving
A suspended Stonehaven church minister consumed cocaine before being caught drug-driving in the city centre of Aberdeen, The Press and Journal can reveal.
Reverend Mark Lowey, a self-proclaimed “transformed” ex-addict, was caught over the limit on George Street on September 28 last year.
The father-of-three was nearly four times the legal limit for Benzoylecgonine, a by-product of cocaine.
Cannabis drug-driver also had psychedelic substance
A man caught drug-driving on the A9 also had a hallucinogenic “mushroom substance” with him.
Paul Stewart’s vehicle was stopped by police for a routine check, but officers soon suspected he was under the influence of cannabis.
A roadside drug wipe confirmed their suspicion, and a subsequent search of his vehicle turned up an envelope containing a “mushroom substance” later confirmed to be the class A psychedelic compound Psilocin.
Elgin man left devastated after mother cuts him off following row
An Elgin man who branded his mum a “witch” and urged her to die has been left devastated after being told she wants no further contact with him.
Finley Wood appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court last week for sentencing after earlier admitting to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner when he drunkenly turned his anger towards his mother.
Grampian Online reported that it included calling the widow a “witch” and saying it was “about time” she was dead.
Elgin man threatened to feed hotel worker to his starving dog
An Elgin man threatened to starve his dog and feed a hotel worker to it in a series of incidents earlier this year.
Robert Sutherland appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court last week for sentencing for the crimes but was told to go back to his doctor for further reports on the effects of his long-term drug use.
The 38-year-old will now return to court once more in June.
Livingston man accused of starting Fairways fire in Inverness
A man has appeared in court accused of starting the devastating Fairways Business Park fire in Inverness.
Jack Ventham, 34, was arrested in Livingston at the weekend and appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court this week.
It comes almost two months after a fire destroyed four units on March 9 this year.
Jail for Inverness man who struggled with police and spat at security staff
A man has been jailed after a struggle with police and security officers on Inverness’ High Street.
Scott Mackay was restrained following a disturbance involving another individual on the city centre thoroughfare.
He spat in the face of one of the security staff and made repeated attempts to bite and headbutt.
Roads ban for Lossiemouth teen who drove without insurance
An 18-year-old from Lossiemouth has been banned from the roads for three years and will be made to resit his test after driving without insurance.
Riley Russell, of St Margarets Crescent, was picked up by police last August when they spotted his black Ford Fiesta pulling into a car park on Dunbar Street.
The roofer, who the court heard was not in danger of losing his career as a result of the conviction, will now need to sit an extended test before being able to get back behind the wheel.
Keith man who hurled homophobic abuse at constables handed unpaid work
A Keith man who called police officers homophobic and offensive names has been told to complete unpaid work.
Jamie Skene, 28, had been collared by constables on July 24 last year when they spotted him and a group of young people in an area of Batchen Street in Elgin.
They noted a smell of cannabis, which Skene indicated was coming from him, but when they moved to begin detaining those in attendance, he launched into his tirade.
Banff man threatened to kill ex and slammed door on her arm
A man who threatened to kill his former partner and attacked her in her Peterhead home will undergo background reports ahead of being sentenced, a court has decided.
Kevin Morrison was due to stand trial, but decided to enter a late guilty plea before the sheriff took the bench.
Peterhead Sheriff Court was told Morrison – who appeared during earlier hearings under the name Kevin Pringle – punched a hole in a bedroom door and, on another occasion, told his former partner he would put her “six foot under”.
Inverness crossbow confrontation caught on camera
A man who was caught on camera as he confronted two workmen with a crossbow has been ordered to surrender his weapons.
Marcin Sitarz wielded the weapon following an angry exchange with the workers, who had dug a ditch in front of his driveway and blocked his car in.
Inverness Sheriff Court ordered the forfeiture of two crossbows seized by police at the scene after placing Sitarz on a community payback order.
The court had previously heard how frightened contractors filmed handyman Sitarz with the weapon.
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Lithuanian army conscript fined for drunken shouts in Peterhead
A Lithuanian army conscript living in Inverurie will be using some of his new earnings to pay off a fine after drunkenly shouting and swearing in public in Peterhead.
Eimaitas Aksomaitis, 19, had been drinking in his hometown in December last year before deciding to travel to Peterhead.
But when he could not find the address he was invited to, he started shouting and swearing on the street.
ASBO man avoids jail after ignoring ban on drinking in public
A man who is banned from being drunk in public spaces throughout Aberdeenshire has narrowly avoided jail – after he was caught “heavily intoxicated” in Inverurie.
Christopher Ettles, 39, was placed under the sweeping Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) four years ago at Banff Sheriff Court.
Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court last week, Ettles admitted one breach of that order, after police found him drunk as they aided a taxi driver, who was having difficulty getting him to pay a fare.
Elgin man caught with images of children being ‘brutalised’
A man who claimed he accidentally accessed indecent images despite a search history to the contrary has been told he “destroyed” children’s lives for “entertainment”.
Adam Betteridge claimed he clicked a link sent to his mobile by accident, but investigators also found deleted searches including terms such as “pedo”, “youngest” and “hairless”.
His solicitor told the court Betteridge had been going through a “dark” time with poor mental health when the offence occurred.
Driver who killed friend in Skye accident ‘humbled’ by kindness of victim’s family
A man who killed his old friend in a crash on Skye has been “humbled” by the kindness shown to him by the family of his victim.
Malcolm Murchison, 70, was forced to tell Donald “Donnie” Martin’s relatives that his actions on May 5 2022 caused their loved one to die.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard today how Murchison had been driving on the A87 near Portree in Skye on May 5 2022.
Rogue trader jailed after he fleeced customers across Scotland
A joiner conman who scammed people across Scotland with fake promises to build sheds and summer houses has been jailed by a sheriff who said: “The public is fed up with bogus workmen”.
Alistair Baxter, who ran AB Garden Building Limited, took money from more than 60 people by promising to build sheds and summer houses.
The 36-year-old took more than £100,000 in deposits but failed to carry out any work.
Three in court accused of ‘iPod Nano’ cashpoint fraud at three north-east spots
Three men from England have appeared in court accused of tampering with cashpoints in Aberdeen.
We previously reported how police were investigating three incidents involving ATMs on Monday.
A device resembling an iPod Nano was found attached to an ATM outside the Co-op on Kingswood Drive in Kingswells.
Former Buckie Thistle and Elgin star pocketed cash for training courses
A former Elgin City and Highland League star has admitted to pocketing more than £10,000 he was given to provide non-existent football training courses and sponsorship.
Ceiran McLean, who once turned out for and won the Highland League title with Buckie Thistle, strung along his customers for more than a year with promises he could deliver bespoke packages after taking their cash.
At Elgin Sheriff Court today – on the first day of his scheduled trial – the 34-year-old admitted conning customers of his football training business.
Peterhead double rapist branded a danger to the public and jailed for 10 years
A “toxic and manipulative” Peterhead thug who physically and sexually assaulted two women has been caged for nearly 10 years.
Craig Neill was told he would remain subject to strict licence conditions for three years following his release from prison because of the risk of serious harm he poses to the public.
He has also been banned from contacting his victims for the rest of his life and his name will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.
Inverness dealer caught with £21,000 of drugs in Tesco car park
A drug dealer was caught with cocaine and heroin worth more than £21,000 after being stopped by police in an Inverness supermarket car park.
Stephen Murray – a heroin addict with a £250-a-week habit – was detained by officers outside Tesco and wraps of drugs were found in his jacket pockets.
A subsequent search of Murray’s home recovered more drugs.
Deeside dangerous driver jailed after causing drunken head-on crash
A drink-driver has been jailed for two years after causing a head-on smash in rural Deeside.
Daniel Glazewski fled the scene of the crash, near Torphins, and was eventually found hiding in woodland by a police dog, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
The crash, on the afternoon of June 23 2023, happened after other road users spotted Glazewski, 42, driving dangerously in his Audi A4 convertible.
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Skye shotgun killer denied appeal hearing by judges
A Skye man convicted of murder and three counts of attempted murder has been denied permission for an appeal hearing.
Finlay Macdonald was found guilty in November of murdering John MacKinnon and attempting to murder his wife Rowena, as well as John Donald MacKenzie and his wife Fay, using a knife and a shotgun in August 2022.
He was jailed for a minimum of 28 years.
Buckie drug dealer raped boy after plying children with cannabis
A drug dealer who repeatedly raped a 15-year-old boy after plying children with cannabis has been handed an extended eight and a half year sentence.
Jamie Chapman – who carried out all his crimes in Buckie – was branded an ongoing danger to young teenagers after he was found guilty of four drug supply and sex attack charges at the High Court.
Chapman, 28, from Peterhead, was found guilty of supplying cannabis to four children, aged between 14 and 17, from 2 January until 29 July 2022.
Second man in court accused of starting devastating Fairways fire
A second man appeared in court today accused over the Fairways Business Park fire in Inverness.
Jason Gallacher, 38, from Armadale in West Lothian, was remanded in custody following the private appearance at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Today’s hearing comes three days after another man was accused of the devastating blaze, which destroyed four units on March 9 this year.
Jack Ventham, 34, was arrested in Livingston at the weekend and appeared in court on Monday.
Aberdeen cafe owner throttled and beat girlfriend in rage-filled attack
An Aberdeen cafe owner has avoided a prison sentence after he violently assaulted his girlfriend – who has since taken her own life.
Kristian Howell, 28, throttled and punched Rainne Stewart, then 24, during a violent altercation that culminated in her suffering terrible head and neck injuries.
In a police statement before her death, Rainne described Howell’s face as being filled with “rage” as he squeezed her neck “as hard as he could”.
She also believed Howell was “going to kill her” that night.
Five-times-the-limit Nairn drink-driver struggled to find petrol cap
A five-times-the-limit drink-driver was caught out when he struggled to locate his petrol cap at a filling station, a court has heard.
Staff at the Gulf filling station in Nairn approached Jefferson Banks when they noticed he was having an issue fuelling up.
When they smelled alcohol on him, they alerted police, who later discovered Banks had a breath alcohol reading of 110 microgrammes per 100 millilitres – the legal limit being 22.
Aberdeen domestic abuser who drove car at ex-girlfriend ignored court order
An Aberdeen domestic abuser has been given more community service after breaching a court order not to contact his victim.
Jordan MacDonald had been given a non-harassment order banning him from contact with his ex-partner.
MacDonald, 25, previously admitted acting in a threatening and abusive manner towards the woman and one of her friends during an incident on Aberdeen’s Beach Boulevard in 2023.
One man guilty of attempted murder and another of serious assault following brawl
Two men have been remanded in custody after a “chaotic” Aberdeen street brawl that saw one victim stabbed multiple times.
Marcus Clarke, 48, and Ramay Russell, also known as Herb Russell, were convicted by a jury following a trial at the High Court in Aberdeen – with Clarke being found guilty of attempted murder.
Russell, 43, was unanimously convicted of the lesser charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement after he struck the man with a pair of bolt cutters.
Holidays, gifts, gambling and blackmail – how crooked Aberdeen granny spent £1.5 million
A crooked Aberdeen grandmother who stole £1.5m from her employers has told a court she used some of the cash to pay off a colleague who was blackmailing her.
Coleen Muirhead – who earned £33,000-a-year at Panda Rosa Metals – also said she gave away more than £400,000 to her four sons and spent another £200,000 taking her whole family on foreign holidays.
She insists none of her family questioned where the vast sums came from and none are able to pay it back.