The round-up from the courts of Tayside and Fife for Thursday.
Sleepy shoplifter
A Perth shoplifter stole nearly £100 of clothing and shoes from New Look after taking Valium to help her sleep.
Jessie Hendry has little memory of making off with items from the High Street store on August 10.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the clothing, footwear and bag taken were valued at just under £93.
All of the goods were recovered.
Hendry, of Greyfriars House, Princes Street, Perth, admitted theft.
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said her client had a “significant record” of similar offences.
“On this occasion, she had trouble sleeping and had taken Valium,” she said.
“She had consumed too much and this resulted in the offence being committed.”
Ms Cullerton said her client had mental health challenges.
Sheriff Linda Smith deferred sentence until September 28 for a psychiatric report.
Covid cougher
Sentence has been deferred on Perthshire woman Mary McArthur who assaulted a charity shop worker by coughing in her face in a row over mask-wearing. Sheriff William Wood said: “In the context of a global pandemic, this is a relatively serious matter.”
Train ‘disturbance’
Two men have appeared in court accused of causing a disturbance on a train journey to Perth.
Mark Neterington and Tyler Netherington deny behaving in a threatening or abusive manner while travelling from Glasgow Queen Street and at Perth Railway Station on September 9, 2019.
It is alleged they repeatedly swore, shouted and acted in an aggressive manner.
The men, aged 53 and 21, both of Kingswell Terrace, Perth, tendered pleas of not guilty when they appeared before Sheriff Neil Bowie on Thursday.
The sheriff told them to secure legal aid, or face representing themselves at trial.
The trial was set for September 29.
Pensioner accused over death crash
A pensioner has been accused of causing the death of Dundee man William McIntosh, 68, in a city car crash. Stewart Clark, 73, from Newport, is accused of causing death by careless driving in December.
‘Rape’ appearance
A sheriff has ordered a man to stand trial over claims he raped a woman near Dundee Railway Station.
Huseyin Sis, 23, allegedly attacked the woman at the car park on Yeaman Shore a short distance from the station on August 27.
Sis made a second appearance at Dundee Sheriff Court in connection with the allegation after making no plea last week.
He faces a single charge of rape.
Sis, of MacGill Drive, Edinburgh, appeared via video link from HMP Perth on Thursday.
Solicitor Gary McIlravey continued to make no plea on Sis’s behalf.
Sheriff John Rafferty fully committed Sis for trial.
He was remanded in custody ahead of court dates being set.
Crash injuries
Aaron Shand from Aberdeen was handed a hefty fine and penalty points after causing a crash in Perthshire which left his then-girlfriend with serious eye injuries. The accident happened through Shand’s careless driving at the notorious A93/ A984 junction at Meikleour beech hedge, between Perth and Blairgowrie.
St Andrews drink-driver
Reports have been ordered for a woman caught more than five times the drink-drive limit in St Andrews.
Elizabeth Clark, 57, was pulled over by police on the town’s City Road on July 2.
She was also found to be driving her yellow Kia Picanto without a valid policy of insurance, Dundee Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Duncan MacKenzie said: “Police on patrol at around 12.40pm saw the accused’s vehicle driving in front of them and had reason to stop the vehicle.
“The accused was in the driver’s seat and detected a clear smell of alcohol.
“A check was carried out which also disclosed there was no insurance.”
Clark, of Dreelside, Anstruther, admitted providing a reading of 112 mics of alcohol in 100 mils of breath, exceeding the limit of 22 mics of alcohol, as well as driving without insurance.
Sheriff John Rafferty deferred sentence on Clark, who has previous convictions for drink driving, for reports to be prepared.
She will return to court in October.
In case you missed it…
Wednesday round-up — taxi rank romance rekindling rammy
Tuesday round-up — Costly crash and homophobic slur
Monday round-up — A pricey one for the road and a shoeless rampage
Friday round-up — ‘Rather strange’ paedo squabble and a sticky situation
EXCLUSIVE: How fraudsters scammed Crieff restaurant out of £44,000 in elaborate curry racket