A Fife woman accused of stalking Scotland’s Lord Lyon King of Arms and refusing to leave historic Glamis Castle has been sent to prison until a hospital bed becomes available for her state of mind to be assessed.
Shuque Xie, from Kirkcaldy, will spend a week in Cornton Vale jail after her appearance from custody at Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday for the latest hearing in a case involving alleged offences involving the nation’s heraldry chief, Dr Joe Morrow.
The 50-year-old is accused of refusing to leave Glamis Castle after demanding an audience at the historic landmark with Dr Morrow and then turning up at his place of work.
Xie, of the Fife town’s Mitchell Street, is also charged with repeatedly sending emails to the Scottish Episcopal Church’s press office, the Scottish Parliament and various universities between July 15 2015 and December 1 last year.
She also faces a fresh charge of failing to participate in a police identification parade, a matter that was continued without plea.
The accused was examined by a doctor in custody at Forfar, leading to a Crown motion for the assessment order, which was granted by Sheriff Robert Dickson.
However, the court heard that despite “strenuous” efforts to find a hospital bed for Xie, one would not become available until June 29 at a facility in Fife.
Depute fiscal Jill Drummond said it was likely Xie would be detained in the medical wing at Cornton Vale until then.
Xie was previously refused permission to represent herself at a trial which was scheduled to take place earlier this week, but a sheriff ruled that the nature of the allegations did not allow that.
From the dock she said: “I can defend myself and I do not accept the sheriff’s order.”
Sheriff Dickson continued the case until July 18.
Ten Crown witnesses have been cited for the trial.
Mr Morrow is a former Labour councillor in Dundee and in 2009 was appointed as vice lord lieutenant of the City of Dundee.
He is an incumbent of the Chapel of Glamis Castle, a former chancellor of the Diocese of Brechin and an honorary canon of St Paul’s Cathedral, Dundee.
The Court of the Lord Lyon is the official heraldry office for Scotland which deals with all matters relating to Scottish Heraldry and Coats of Arms.