An Aberdeenshire pensioner is to go on trial accused of sending threatening emails to Nicola Sturgeon.
Aberchirder man William Curtis, 68, is accused of sending threatening remarks via a number of email and social media messages to the First Minister between February 27 2019 and March 6 2019.
He will go on trial over the matter at Aberdeen Sheriff Court later this year.
Accused of sending threatening remarks
The charge against him alleges that he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by sending messages “in which you made threatening remarks towards Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister.”
Curtis will also face a trial accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on March 9 2019 by sending a message via social media to the office of former Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson.
It is alleged the message contained “a link to an article on the death of the former Member of Parliament Jo Cox and implying and threatening similar violence to said member”.
Curtis denies the charges against him
He denies the charges against him.
During his hearing yesterday Curtis represented himself over the two charges concerning Ms Sturgeon and Mr Stevenson.
As Sheriff Graham Buchanan read the charge concerning the First Minister to Curtis he asked why the sheriff had mentioned her name.
“I’ve mentioned her name because it’s in the charge”, Sheriff Buchanan replied.
Accused refused to accept Crown evidence
The hearing also dealt with an issue concerning disclosure evidence in both cases that Curtis claimed he had not received from the Crown Office.
Fiscal depute Christy Ward told the court: “The accused has been offered disclosure by the Crown in respect of both matters.
“It was initially offered at Banff Police Station and was refused and on the last occasion it was offered for the accused to view the disclosures at our office, but that was also refused.”
Curtis, of Southview Terrace, Aberchirder, responded by stating: “I want the originals. I don’t want anything other than the originals brought to me.”
