A pensioner accused of threatening Nicola Sturgeon and assaulting a sheriff could be made to have a lawyer for his trial.
William Curtis was back at the High Court in Glasgow, where he once again was representing himself.
It is claimed the 69-year-old sent emails and posted social media messages making “threatening remarks” to the First Minister between February 27 and March 6 2019.
It is said this would likely have caused “fear and alarm”.
Curtis is also charged – along with 60-year-old Philip Mitchell, from Macduff – of attacking Sheriff Robert McDonald on June 29 2021.
The incident is said to have happened in St Mary’s car park in Banff – the town where Sheriff McDonald presides.
It is claimed the pair assaulted and abducted him by grabbing the lawyer, pulling him to the ground, then sitting on top of him and detaining him against his will.
Curtis alone is further accused of sending a video in connection with the murder of MP Jo Cox to ex-SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson.
Both he and Mitchell – who is also representing himself – faced a hearing yesterday.
A trial has already been set for January next year in Inverness.
Prosecutor Lisa Gillespie QC told judge Lord Weir that there are two witnesses considered “vulnerable”.
As a result, there are concerns about them being questioned by either man about “intrusive matters that are entirely irrelevant” to the charges.
Miss Gillespie said consideration will be made as to whether to ask the court that both Curtis and Mitchell do not represent themselves at trial.
Curtis denies the charges. Mitchell has yet to enter a plea.
The case was adjourned until a further hearing in August.
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