Weekend court roll – our round-up of the most-read cases of the week

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

Pub boss used WhatsApp to sell cocaine

A prominent Aberdeen pub boss on Monday pleaded guilty to drug dealing after police found him with more than £1,600 of cocaine.

Paul Clarkson – whose family firm PB Devco owns pubs and restaurants including Soul, The Draft Project and Vovem – sold cocaine to fund his own habit, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.

The 42-year-old operations director was rumbled when police received intelligence he was in possession of cocaine at the Draft Project on Langstane Place.

Cops searched him as he left the venue at 9.33pm and found class-A drugs worth £1,630, self-seal bags and a mobile phone bursting with incriminating text messages.

Aberdeen woman cleared of drugging and attempting to murder man

A woman accused of drugging a man and trying to murder him in his sleep was on Monday acquitted of the offence.

Carole Farquhar was originally charged with attempting to murder the man on March 20 and 21 this year at a house in Aberdeen’s Forest Avenue.

It was alleged that she assaulted him by repeatedly putting the drugs Diazepam and Tramadol into drinks and caused him to ingest them.

It was said that while he was sleeping she wrapped cables around his neck and tightened them to his injury and the danger of his life.

Woman led police on high-speed chase after ‘panicking’

A woman “panicked” when police tried to pull her over, sped off and led cops on a pursuit before crashing into another car and legging it.

Jennifer Morris put her foot down when police flashed their blue lights at her, signalling for her to stop, on Hayton Road in Aberdeen.

The 31-year-old sped off in excess of the speed limit, ignoring pedestrian crossings and eventually crashing into another car at a junction.

But far from giving up, Morris tried to flee on foot – only to be caught by chasing officers a short distance away.

Driver who killed grandad in horrific crash relives accident ‘day and night’

On Tuesday, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard a driver who caused the death of a north-east grandfather in a horrific accident relives the tragedy “daily and nightly”.

Liam Duddy’s car crashed into the back of pensioner Daniel Gilfillan, crushing him between two cars.

Mr Gilfillan, 66, of Portlethen, had been involved in a minor three-car collision just 15 minutes before and had been exchanging details with the other motorists when the crash happened.

Duddy, 38, tried desperately to help the injured grandfather at the scene but Mr Gilfillan was pronounced dead by paramedics 30 minutes later.

Man who killed mum and hid body under rug detained without limit of time

A man who killed his mother and hid her under a rug was on Tuesday detained without limit of time at a high-security psychiatric hospital.

Neil Carmichael, 34, attacked his mother Morag on December 7 last year at the family home at Drumnadrochit.

The 66-year-old, who ran a donkey sanctuary, sustained six knife wounds as well as suffering fractures to her skull, neck and cheekbones.

She was struck with ornaments, a baseball bat, saucepan and knives before Carmichael later told his father Kenneth that she was dead.

Disabled man left ‘shaking with fear’ after drug addict’s terrifying assault

An addict who threatened to hurt a disabled man with a paint scraper unless he unlocked his safe has been jailed for more than a year.

Denise Reid talked her way into a vulnerable man’s Aberdeen flat before grabbing his safe, a bin bag and a bent paint scraper and told him she would kill him.

At one point the terrified man, who suffers from cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and is partially deaf, called his dad and told him: “Dad, dad, lady in house … lady kill me”.

Reid, 47, meanwhile could be heard swearing in the backround “are you kidding me?” and “are you serious?”

Jail for thug who threatened to burn down bar and throw acid at cop

A thug who threatened to burn down a bar and throw acid in a cop’s face because he didn’t want to pay full price for a pint has been jailed.

Dean MacLennan, 28, punched, spat and made threats to staff at the Rowan Tree bar in Aberdeen in May this year.

And whilst in police custody almost a month later, MacLennan subjected a police officer to a tirade of racial abuse and threatened to throw acid in another’s face.

The 28-year-old, who has a previous conviction involving a similar acid threat, also bragged about assaulting cops, spat at officers and threatened their families.

Council accused of ‘failing’ three children after sickening neglect revealed

Aberdeen City Council has been accused of “failing” three children after a court found they were neglected and living in “almost Dickensian” conditions while under social work supervision.

The youngsters – who were between the ages of 10 months and eight – were raised in a property that was littered with medicine bottles, bin bags and uneaten food and one child’s teeth were so decayed that all 20 had to be removed.

Their mother has now appeared in Aberdeen Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to three charges of neglect.

On one occasion, the woman – who is in her 30s and The Press & Journal cannot name to protect the identity of her children – overdosed on opiates in the presence of all three and an ambulance had to be called.

Woman claims she was forced into dealing drugs by gang’s threats to ‘shoot’ family

On Wednesday a heroin and cocaine dealer claimed she was forced into the drug trade by people who threatened to shoot her immediate family.

Lisa Duff, 36, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to two charges of dealing Class A drugs from her home – but said she had only done it after threats to kill her family.

Duff was found in possession of nearly £900 worth of heroin and cocaine on November 16 last year.

She admitted one charge of supplying heroin and another of supplying cocaine while on bail.

Mum grabbed partner by throat and threatened him with knife

An Aberdeen mum who drunkenly attacked her partner and brandished a knife at him had to be restrained by her own son.

Nicola Tennant was still drinking following a bender the night before when she grabbed her partner by the throat then threatened him with a knife.

Fiscal depute Christy Ward told Aberdeen Sheriff Court how Tennant, 37, had been drinking alcohol on February 5, this year.

She said: “At around 7am the following morning her son and his friend saw her outside in possession of a bottle of vodka and still under the influence of alcohol.

“They tried to take the bottle from her and she began to argue with them and walked back inside. She appeared angry and upset.”

Schoolboy paedo: Teen caught with thousands of child abuse videos

A schoolboy paedophile was caught with thousands of vile videos of child abuse, along with sickening bestiality involving cats and dogs.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons due to his age, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted a string of charges dating back to when he was just 15.

Police raided the teenager’s Aberdeen home, where he stayed with his mum, and found two phones containing disturbing sexual pictures and videos involving children and also animals.

The boy even used a “secret messaging” app to share videos of child abuse with others.

Motorcyclist did wheelies during police chase – despite tyres being blown

A motorcyclist has been jailed after he did wheelies and drove through parks during a police chase – despite his tyres being blown by a cop stinger.

Robert Weymss was pursued by police cars as he tore through the streets of Aberdeen at breakneck speeds on September 20 this year.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Weymss swerved around vehicles, pulled wheelies and drove onto parkland around Muggiemoss Road, North Anderson Drive and Oldmeldrum Road in Aberdeen.

Weymss admitted three charges related to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and driving while disqualified.

‘Deplorable’ drug addicts stole mum’s entire life savings

A mum who took in her cancer-stricken daughter was repaid for her kindness when the ill woman and her boyfriend stole nearly £9,000 of her life savings.

Michelle Livingstone, 48, broke into her mum’s personal safe and stole £5,000 while her partner Stewart Linton, 40, used the woman’s credit card to withdraw almost £4,000.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that Linton made over 45 separate bank withdrawals from the woman’s account between October 12 and October 30 last year.

Former barmaid Livingstone, who had received recent a diagnosis of throat cancer, had asked to move in with her 69-year-old mother to recuperate on October 12 2020 – but she and Linton began stealing from the woman only hours later.

Badger baiter avoids jail after ‘disgusting’ neglect

On Thursday, a man who showed a “disgusting lack of care” after his dog was seriously injured while badger baiting was been spared jail but banned from owning the animals for 10 years.

Liam Taylor’s male Bull Lurcher, called Brock, had his nostril partly ripped off, lost teeth and suffered facial and paw injuries during the illegal and cruel hunt.

The 32-year-old was caught after graphics showing the dog’s injuries, as well as “trophy photos” of him hunting using the dog, were ordered online and the concerned business owner reported the suspected abuse.

Officers from the Scottish SPCA animal welfare charity visited Taylor’s home in Deyhill, Macduff, and found Brock suffering from injuries consistent with “pig digging” – the term often used for badger baiting.

The Airbnb guest from hell

The owner of an Aberdeenshire Airbnb property underwent a terrifying ordeal when a rowdy guest at a cocaine-fuelled party pulled a knife on her.

Scott Banks was part of a group of five people who had rented the croft near Gardenstown and had been asked to leave when their rowdy antics became too much for the female owner.

She turned up at the door at midnight to tell them to pack their stuff and go but instead was met with a barrage of abuse and threats.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told that an argument broke out and Banks pulled a knife.

Drink-driver crashed en route to confront boyfriend

A carer crashed while almost triple the alcohol limit – while driving to confront her boyfriend she believed was cheating.

Grace Reid had been at a party when there was a suggestion her partner had been unfaithful.

Despite having been drinking, the 20-year-old got behind the wheel to go and confront him.

But before she could reach him, Reid crashed and when police arrived at the scene they found her almost three times the legal alcohol limit.

Man ‘humiliated’ female cop by simulating sex act during arrest

A drunk lout has admitted “humiliating” a female police officer by simulating a sex act and calling her “sexy” during his arrest.

Jamie Hutton, 28, was stopped by police for behaving in a drunken and abusive manner towards members of the public – but soon turned his attention to the female constable as she and her fellow officers tried to arrest him.

He started to act out a series of sexual actions and used innuendoes towards the officer including telling her she should “marry him”.

It culminated in Hutton simulating a sex act in front of her while he was in custody.

Swimming teacher had cocaine

A swimming teacher has been banned from driving after she was found behind the wheel while under the influence of cocaine.

Mum-of-two Gemma Park, 35, was stopped by police after they received an anonymous tip-off from the public that she was driving around the Cove area of Aberdeen while intoxicated.

Park, who was recently convicted of drink-driving, immediately admitted being in possession of cocaine when police stopped her car on Loirston Road, Cove on November 6 last year.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told she had taken the cocaine to “cope” with things that were happening in her life at that time.

Highland woman accused of £35,000 fraud

A Highland woman will stand trial next year over claims she conned family members in a Hollywood star fraud.

Ann Dunlop, 65, allegedly obtained more than £35,000 from relatives David and Susan Bunton as well as Jean Allan between June 2015 and July 2017.

The offence is stated to have taken place at properties in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow’s Hyndland and Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire.

Court papers state Dunlop acted with another person to form a fraudulent scheme.

Woman’s disgusting taunts to mum of disabled child

On Friday we reported the case of a woman who used social media to threaten and taunt a mother about her disabled child.

Naomi Cowie sent a barrage of menacing messages about the woman’s non-verbal autistic son on Facebook Messenger.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how the 29-year-old also messaged her victim stating that she “hoped her kids would die”.

The terms used by Cowie were so shocking that it provoked a sheriff to describe them as “quite disgusting”.

Domestic abuser’s attack on pregnant girlfriend

A domestic abuser who put his pregnant girlfriend in a headlock and dragged her along the floor has been warned he faces jail if he repeats his “absolutely disgusting” behaviour.

Tomas Pocta’s partner was six months pregnant when some of the abuse happened and he told her: “I will treat you like your ex did because you deserve it”.

After the birth of their child he also threatened to kill his partner after an argument at their home in Aberdeen’s Park Place in May this year.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Pocta and his partner had been in a relationship for a number of years and were expecting their first child together in the summer of 2020.

Man jailed over abuse towards shop workers

A man who hurled abuse at shop workers told one he should “go back home” and grabbed another by the throat.

Charles Gordon has been handed a 10-month prison sentence after abusing shop workers between January and February this year.

The 42-year-old, of Aberdeen, warned an Aldi shop assistant “you better watch yourself … I will get you” after he was approached suspected of shoplifting at the Cornhill shopping arcade.

The worker stepped back to “try to calm the situation” but Gordon lunged at him and grabbed him by the neck.

Chef gets pepper-sprayed

A chef who assaulted a police officer in broad daylight in a playpark after taking a cocktail of Buckfast and valium has been fined £720.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that a friend of Daniel McAllister, 33, contacted police on  August 16 last year out of concern for his wellbeing.

McAllister was spotted leaning on a fence in the playpark at Moss-Side Brae, Nairn in broad daylight while children played nearby, and was thought to be intoxicated.

Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told the court that officers approached McAllister and were concerned regarding his physical state.

Jilted boyfriend threatened ex

A jilted boyfriend threatened to burn down his ex’s home after she dumped him because of his “controlling behaviour”.

Kieran Monro’s threatened to set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s house after she split up with him and told him she’d leave his belongings outside to collect.

In the week that followed the demise of their two-year relationship, he visited her Aberdeen home twice uninvited and tried to get inside.

Just hours after the relationship ended Monro visited her home in Craigendarroch  Avenue on October 19 and chased her through the house.

Police dog ends armed stand-off

A man who ran towards a gun-wielding cop while brandishing a screwdriver was brought to the ground by a police dog.

The police dog’s actions brought a tense stand-off, involving John Easson, to an end after nearly two hours.

The 31-year-old had earlier armed himself with a knife and refused to come out of his mum’s flat on Aberdeen’s Ferrier Crescent.

During the July 11 incident – which came just four days after he’d been released from a spell in prison – Easson used the knife to self-harm, threw a vodka bottle at a police officer and tossed a hair spray flamethrower out of a window.

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