Another week, another busy time for staff at courts across Tayside and Fife.
Cat hostage claim
A Fife man has denied taking a woman’s cat hostage as part of a string of stalking allegations.
Paul Salt, of Main Street West, Hillend, denied a four-and-a-half year campaign of abusive behaviour towards the woman from March 1 2016 until November 17 2020.
The 55-year-old is accused of repeatedly requesting she embraced and kissed him and repeatedly messaging her on social media.
He is also accused of attending her home address and taking possession of her cat, then refusing to return the animal until the relative made contact with him.
Salt faces allegations of asking the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to add an app to her mobile phone so he could check her whereabouts, attending her home uninvited and carrying out gardening work for her when not asked to do so.
His alleged stalking campaign includes repeatedly sending letters to her home requesting she made contact with him and threatening to attend her workplace should she fail to make contact.
Salt also allegedly asked other family members to contact the relative and asked them to persuade the woman to contact him on his behalf.
The incidents allegedly happened at a property on Dens Road in Inverkeithing and elsewhere.
Salt denies the charges and is scheduled to stand trial on August 26.
‘Never his fault’
A Ballingry man who assaulted a woman he was ordered by a court to stay away from has been told to complete unpaid work.
Kirk Leishman, of Kirkland Avenue, admitted to attacking Stephanie Bargon on April 21, 2020.
The 48-year-old pled guilty to breaching court orders which banned him from entering Kirkland Gardens when he attended the street last year.
While at a property there, he assaulted his ex-partner Ms Bargon and seized her by the head before pulling her to the floor.
Sheriff Alastair Brown described Leishman as “a man who, whatever happens, it’s not his fault, there’s always someone else to blame.”
His solicitor Chris Sneddon said: “He accepts that he assaulted the complainer.”
The Sheriff sentenced Leishman to 135 hours of unpaid work and placed him under supervision for a year.
He also issued Leishman with a non-harassment order spanning two years.
Crashed van
Reports have been ordered for a man who crashed a van while five times the drink-drive limit.
Stewart Galbraith, 54, gave a reading of 110 mics of alcohol in 100 mils of breath, exceeding the limit of 22 mics, after colliding with another vehicle on the A85 Riverside Avenue, at the junction with Main Street, Invergowrie, on May 30.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard how the van Galbraith, of McDonald Court, Perth, has since been disposed of.
Solicitor Kevin Hampton said Galbraith wished to seek help with his addiction to alcohol.
Galbraith pled guilty before Sheriff Alastair Carmichael who deferred sentence until next month for reports to be prepared.
In case you missed it
A man has been accused of dealing a deadly drug nicknamed Flubber at Perth Prison.
Stephen Timmons is accused of being involved in the supply of three illicit substances at the jail, including street valium Flubromazolam.
A serial rapist who throttled a woman in Perthshire is facing lifelong restrictions.
Christian Robson attacked five women in a catalogue of violence and abuse committed over an eight-year period.
Friday round-up — Frying pan, plastic pitcher and pistol
Thursday round-up — With friends like these…
Wednesday round-up — Christening gown and prison vape
Tuesday round-up — Dog theft charge and prison lockdown bites
The Exploited: Human trafficking in Tayside and Fife exposed
