The Thursday court round-up for Tayside and Fife…
Paedophile engineer
A Virgin Media engineer has been placed on the sex offenders’ register, after police found images of child abuse on his computer.
Officers swooped on Rodney Rice’s home at near Abernyte, in August 2020.
A white Gamemax computer tower was seized during the early morning raid.
It contained an indecent image that had been downloaded just minutes before police arrived.
Rice, 49, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted, between April 13 and August 19, he downloaded indecent images of children.
He also pleaded guilty to owning an air weapon without the appropriate certificate.
Fiscal depute Michael Sweeney told the court that a hard drive seized from Rice’s home contained one indecent image of children and eight videos.
The total video run time was 26 minutes and 22 seconds.
All files had been downloaded using peer-to-peer software.
Sheriff William Wood called for background reports and sentence was deferred to June 24.
Dundee ‘stabbing’
A 40-year-old man has been accused of stabbing someone in Dundee.
Jonathan Barlow appeared from custody at the city’s sheriff court over claims he stabbed a man on Deveron Crescent on Wednesday.
It is alleged Barlow assaulted Ross Henderson by repeatedly trying to strike him on the body with a knife.
Thereafter, Barlow, of Dee Gardens, allegedly stabbed him with a knife to his injury.
Barlow made no plea when he appeared before Sheriff Grant McCulloch on petition.
The case was continued for further examination and Barlow was remanded in custody meantime.
Montrose abduction claim
A couple have been remanded in custody over claims they abducted and robbed a man in Angus.
Zoe Cormie, 32, and 25-year-old James Pow allegedly attacked the man at an address on Dorward Gardens, Montrose on May 5.
The pair allegedly detained the man against his will, assaulted him and brandished a knife at him.
It is alleged they locked the front door of the property, struck the man on the head with a mug and pulled him to the ground.
Cormie, of Dorward Gardens, and Pow, of the town’s Seagate, allegedly struck and kicked the man repeatedly on the head and body before robbing him of a wallet, a bank card and £150.
Pow is additionally accused of pushing another man on the body during the incident.
No plea was offered and they were remanded in custody after Sheriff Grant McCulloch fully committed them for trial.
Also…
Learner driver Kyle McLachlan was jailed after causing the death of Dundee postal worker Scott Millar in a hit and run in the city centre.
He had borrowed the car from young racing driver Finlay Hutchison, who was given a community payback order for allowing his friend to drive it without a valid licence.
St Andrews chip shop boss Ali Alayan narrowly avoided a prison sentence after admitting breaching a non-harassment order.
A Perthshire businessman spread topless photos of a local woman around the scenic villages of Newburgh and Abernethy and left them at a Perth business premises. Allister Linton, 65, admitted breach of the peace.
In case you missed it…
Wednesday round-up — Petrol stations, forks and stun guns
Tuesday round-up – Hotel rant and text terror
Monday round-up – Drug driving and flooded flats
Friday court round-up – Pub punch and taking the p***
Gangster Granny: The rise and fall of Dundee’s most unlikely drugs baron
