A Banff man has appeared in court accused of assaulting a woman with the intent of raping her.
Police were called to Tannery Street, Banff last week following reports a woman had been indecently assaulted.
And yesterday, 34-year-old Richard Buchan appeared in court in connection with the alleged incident.
He made no plea or declaration during the brief private hearing at Peterhead Sheriff Court, where he faced charges of assault and assault with intent to rape.
Buchan, of Banff, was remanded in custody and the case was continued for further examination.
The alleged attack, against a woman in her 20s, reportedly happened at about 4.30pm on March 1.
It is the latest in a growing number of criminal incidents being reported across Banff in recent weeks.
Vandals targeted the town’s new sports facility, near Banff Academy, within hours of it opening on Saturday – destroying chairs at the outdoor running track and drawing graffiti on the walls.
Last month, several shops were targeted by thieves, and charity boxes were also taken from Rex’s Kitchen and Kelly’s Chips.
And in February, thrift shop Daniel’s Place had about £2,000 stolen from its safe when thieves broke in. The cash was intended to have been used to support a local food bank and pay for the charity’s rent.
But last night, Banff councillor John Cox stressed the town was still a peaceful place to live and work.
Describing the spree like “waiting for a bus, then two or three come along at once”, Mr Cox said it was important to remember that police had acted quickly to catch the alleged culprits.
“Banff is a peaceful town and it is very sad to hear about, but I don’t think crime is on the rise,” he said. “The fact is that the people behind these crimes are being caught – and that’s the most important thing.
“We can only hope that the courts now take the appropriate action. The biggest complaint people do have is that these people are caught, but are back on the streets in a very short amount of time. It’s frustrating.
“There has to be a clear message to these people: this is their town. They have to live in this town, work and live with people here.”
Detective Sergeant Rhona Di Meola, who is investigating the Tannery Street incident, thanked the public for their assistance so far.
She said: “Inquiries are still ongoing and I would urge any member of the public who has any further information and hasn’t already spoken to police to contact us on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 if you would prefer to remain anonymous.
“In particular, we would still like to speak to a man who was in the area at the time and stopped to provide assistance.”
