Good evening – here are the stories that caught the attention of our reporters today.
Jail for man who met 13-year-old boy for sex
A predator has been jailed for having sex with a 13-year-old boy he met on Instagram.
Ian Tait, 31, chatted to the child online on Instagram and Snapchat, requesting sexually explicit images of him.
And before long Tait, driving him to locations in Aberdeenshire and requesting oral sex.
Man accused of failed shop raid
A man has appeared in court charged with attempted robbery after a failed shop raid in Garthdee.
James Townsley, 21, made no plea when he appeared before Aberdeen Sheriff Court over the incident, which took place at Gaitside Stores, on Gaitside Drive, Aberdeen.
The alleged crime happened just before 8pm on September 20.
Townsley made no plea when he appeared before the court.
Drink driver’s 66-mile blackout
A driver who drove 66 miles from Dundee to Aberdeen with a ‘disintegrated’ tyre was so drunk he has no memory of it.
Stephen Barr was spotted swerving across the lanes of the A90 by a number of road users on the morning of December 21 2019 – with one driver witnessing the 35-year-old’s rental car crash into the central reservation.
An ambulance crew on a 999 call also witnessed Barr’s crazy driving and tried to signal to him that his tyre had “disintegrated” and he was driving on the metal wheel rim.
Barr’s solicitor described his actions as an “absolutely outrageous piece of driving”.
Man had indecent image of young child
A pervert has been handed a supervision order after being caught with sickening child pornography involving a boy aged between 2 and 4.
Paul Gibson was caught when police executed a search warrant at his home on Cameron Road in Aberdeen in December.
The 26-year-old was traced in his bedroom and his phone was seized and analysed by cybercrime unit officers, with a “relevant” image discovered in a preview examination.
Man fined after employee’s horror fall
A building company boss has been fined after a worker was left seriously injured when he fell through a roof and fractured his skull.
Wick Sheriff Court was told the employee’s life has “irrevocably changed” and he has been left unable to work and suffers memory loss.
William Swanson, who traded as LTS Construction at the time of the incident at Wester Olrig Farm, Thurso, has now pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety rules.
Highland League footballer’s drink-drive shame
A Highland League footballer has been shown the red card by a sheriff and banned from the roads for a year after police were tipped off about his drink driving.
Fort William striker Scott Graham was more than three times the limit when cops stopped his car yesterday.
Appearing from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court, the footballer pleaded guilty to driving with 79mcgs of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 22mcg.
Offshore worker caught by paedophile hunters
An offshore worker who was caught sending sexual messages to what he thought were 13 and 14-year-old girls has avoided a prison sentence.
Dad-of-two Steven Fraser, 46, was snared by paedophile hunters pretending to be girls on the online chat applications ChatHour and Kik between November 9 2019 and January 26 2020.
He sent numerous sexual messages and pictures despite knowing what age the decoys were.
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