Tuesday court round-up — ‘Motionless’ and ‘comatose’

By Crime and Courts Team

August 10 2021, 7:30pm

Bad news? It’s only Tuesday. Good news? There is plenty of week left for this kind of thing.

‘Kicked motionless man on head’

A man was allegedly kicked on the head repeatedly while he lay “motionless” in Dundee city centre.

Emmett Gorman, 35, and Dane Ferguson, 22, are accused of attacking Aaron Pert on Reform Street on August 6.

It is alleged the pair tried to kick Mr Pert on the body before striking his head, causing him to fall to the ground, then repeatedly striking him on the head and body, before repeatedly kicking him on the head while motionless.

According to court papers, Mr Pert allegedly suffered severe injury as a result.

A separate charge alleges Gorman assaulted Kyle Marnoch by striking him on the head, causing him to fall to the ground, sitting on top of him and repeatedly striking him on the head and body to his severe injury.

Gorman, of Glen Abbey Gardens, and Ferugson, of Moore Walk, both Londonderry, Northern Ireland, made no plea at Dundee Sheriff Court and they were released on bail.

‘Comatose’ knifeman

A Kirkcaldy man who was found, passed out, with a knife in his bag has been placed on curfew.

Arran Farr, of Forth View, admitted he had a blade when he was searched by police at Valley Gardens on June 12 2020.

Depute Fiscal Mat Piskorz said police had checked to see if Farr – described by his own solicitor as “comatose” at the time – was okay.

He had taken illicit substances.

Sheriff Alison McKay placed Farr on a three month restriction of Liberty order.

Domestic abuser

Broughty Ferry publican Jeff Stewart was handed a period of supervision ad unpaid work after admitting domestic abuse charges. The owner of The Anchor throttled his victim as she lay in bed and sent her a string of abusive messages. The full story can be read here.

Jeff Stewart admitted an abusive course of conduct.

Social media abuse

A Forfar man used his partner’s social media login details to send threats to her family members.

Craig Berturelli engaged in an abusive course of behaviour over a five-month period.

Between October 2019 and March 2020, Berturelli, 33, used his partner’s social media accounts to send abusive messaged and make phone calls to her friends and family.

On March 10 and 11, Berturelli, of Glenclova Place, Montrose, also made threats of violence towards the woman, including threats to her family.

Four days later and having been told not to contact the woman or her family, he sent her a letter and a ring in a brown envelope.

Berturelli was placed under supervision for two years and a three year non-harassment order was imposed.

Sentence further deferred

Sentence has been further deferred on a man who choked and threatened his partner with death.

Michael Watson also repeatedly punched a pensioner and racially abused a woman in separate incidents.

The thug, 51, admitted carrying out the offences at addresses in Dundee between November and December.

He previously pled guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to repeatedly shouting, swearing, acting aggressively and threatening violence towards Ian Andrews, his neighbour, on Alloway Terrace on November 8 last year.

On the same date, Watson admitted shouting, swearing, acting aggressively and making racially offensive remarks to Daria Lewandowska.

John Day, 68, was injured after being punched on the head by Watson on November 19 last year on Alloway Terrace.

Watson also shouted, swore and acted aggressively during that incident.

He admitted a final charge of seizing his partner’s body, pinning her to a bed, compressing her throat and restricting her breathing before lifting her from the bed by her head, striking her head against furniture, forcing her to the ground, restraining her and threatening to kill her.

The assault took place at an address on Mossgiel Crescent on December 30 last year.

Sheriff Gregor Murray further deferred sentence on Watson until September for reports to be prepared.