Here are seven stories you may have missed from Inverness Sheriff Court this week.
1) Highland man held knife to partner after challenging his mother-in-law to a fight
Tension between an Aviemore family led to a 28 year old man challenging his girlfriend’s mother to fight before holding a knife to his partner’s body.
However, Inverness Sheriff Court heard yesterday that Cameron Gaff and Sian Nunn hoped to reconcile after his court case.
Gaff, of Rothiemurchus Lodge, admitted repeatedly shouting and swearing at his partner’s mother in a house in Grampian Court, Aviemore, on October 8 last year, uttering offensive remarks to her and seizing her by the arm.
He also pleaded guilty to holding the knife to Ms Nunn’s body and striking her on the head with his head.
Defence solicitor Willie Young said there were tensions within the family, adding: “But nothing excuses what happened and he regrets his actions.
“The couple are intent on reconciliation.”
Gaff was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work and placed under social work supervision for two years.
2) Burglar left the scene on a bike… But left his van behind at the scene
A bungling burglar who travelled to the Highlands to steal copper tried to escape down the A9 on a bike after leaving his van behind.
At Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday, Joseph Tyson, of Glenmuir Road in Cumnock, admitted attempting to break into a SSE container at the Dalfaber depot in Aviemore on September 2 last year.
He was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid community work.
The court was told that Tyson and an accomplice had cutting equipment in the back of the vehicle, cut a hole in the fence and then tried to melt the padlocks with a blow torch.
But the yard was being monitored by CCTV remotely controlled in Portsmouth by Scottish and Southern Energy.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said the pair were frightened off by an automated message and the police were alerted.
Defence lawyer Patrick O’Dea said: “My client lives in the west of Scotland and by trying to escape from police on a bike down the A9, shows how shambolic this enterprise was.”
3) Highland man jailed after slashing neighbour’s tyres
A Strathpeffer man who slashed a neighbour’s car tyres and then verbally abused his partner was jailed for six months at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
Michael MacArthur, a 44-year-old joiner of Ardival Crescent, had been remanded in custody on February 7 after failing to co-operate with social workers in the compilation of a background report.
The court was told that on May 30 last year, MacArthur was seen with a Stanley knife slashing three tyres worth £150 each in Ulladale Crescent.
He admitted a charge of vandalism.
MacArthur also pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing at his partner, Alana Syrjanen on August 31 last year and making derogatory remarks.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood heard that MacArthur had told police: “I am not proud of that.”
He also admitted breaching a bail condition not to try and contact her.
Defence solicitor Rory Gowans said that his client had tried to make amends by paying for two new tyres.
He said: “There had been ill feeling between him and his neighbours.”
Jailing him, Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told MacArthur: “Given your blatant breach of bail on the day it was granted and your lack of co-operation so far, only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
4) Two men avoid jail after admitting unprovoked attack
Two north-east men were warned they could have been sent to prison for unprovoked assaults in Inverness city centre.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood issued a warning to 30-year old offshore oil worker Lee Jacobs and his 20-year-old nephew Jordan Merson at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
He said: “If you want to come to Inverness and behave like drunken hooligans and carry out unprovoked assaults on our streets, then I am happy to treat you like drunken hooligans.
“The only thing that deters me from sending you to prison is your comparative lack of record.”
Both men were ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work as an alternative to custody.
Jacobs, of Arbroath Way in Aberdeen admitted assaulting Andrew Munro in Ness Walk on February 13 last year by knocking him to the ground and kicking him on the head.
Merson pleaded guilty to assaulting Thomas O’Connor by throwing a chair at him and striking him on the body.
The court heard that an argument started between the pair and another group of people.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir added: “It escalated, Jacobs pushed Munro to the ground and then kicked him on the head.
“They walked to a car park of a nearby hotel and were followed by Mr O’Connor. Merson picked up a chair and threw it at hi, hitting him on the body.”
Sheriff Fleetwood told Jacobs: “If you kick someone on the head, then my starting point is prison.”
Defence solicitor Rory Gowans said: “They were drinking heavily on the day although that is no excuse. There was a scuffle but how it started and ended, is a mystery to my client.”
5) Island mother tried to bite police officer’s hand
A 32-year-old Skye mother who tried to bite the hand of a police officer was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said that there was a disturbance in the Caledonian Bar on July 7 last year and Stevenson of Ceann Na Coille, Skeabost, was asked to leave.
“She lunged towards a member of staff, grabbed his tee-shirt and ripped it. Police were called and she was told to calm down,” he said.
“But she didn’t, started to resist officers and attempted to bite one on the hand.” Mr Weir added.
Stevenson admitted assaulting the barman and a police officer and was placed under social work supervision for a year.
Mr Webb said his client was depressed about family matters and had too much to drink.
6) Fraudster pretend to be someone else to try and get mobile phone contract
A fraudster who said his father was a Nigerian politician and was assasinated was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
But 39-year-old Aderemi Ogundele could still be jailed after the court was told the Rochdale man had a suspended sentence hanging over his head for a similar offence of dishonesty.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood told him: “You are a habitual fraudster who goes around the country committing crimes. This seems to be the way you make your living.”
Ogundele, of Whitehall Street, admitted pretending to be a Neil Smith to obtain a contract and mobile phones from the O2 shop in Eastgate Centre, Inverness, on September 3, 2015.
Defence solicitor Wilie Young said: “He is in this country seeing asylum as he says it is unsafe for him to return to Nigeria.
“He tells me his father was a Nigerian politician who was assasinated.
“He cannot open a bank account in this country and obtained the details of another individual and used them to take out a contract for these phones.”
Mr Young confirmed his client was already the subject of a community payback order imposed in Aberdeen Sheriff Court for a similar offence.
7) Inverness man made sexual remarks to landlords
An Inverness man who fell out with his landlords and made threats and offensive sexual remarks and gestures at them was fined £500 yesterday.
French national Nazim Ulgu, of Farraline Court, admitted a breach of the peace which occurred on May 31 last year in Seafield Road.
The court was told that Ulgu had been acquitted at the High Court of a serious offence and it was claimed by defence lawyer Rory Gowans that Ulgu’s landlords wanted him out of their premises.
