The crimes just keep on coming across Tayside and Fife. It’s a bumper round-up today.
Dog destroyed
A dog which seriously mauled a young girl has been destroyed.
The Staffordshire bull terrier attacked the nine-year-old in Dunfermline’s Segal Place on August 11, 2019.
Owner Hayley Fyfe, 36, pled guilty at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to having a dog dangerously out of control at her home.
The animal repeatedly attacked and bit the girl, resulting in severe injuries.
Solicitor Jamie Moncrieff said the dog was put down.
Asked by Sheriff Charles Macnair where the dog was, he said: “It’s been destroyed my Lord.
“It was destroyed shortly after the incident.”
Social worker
Perth social work manager George LeBlanc has been placed on supervision and the Sex Offenders Register. The 63-year-old was found guilty of assaulting a woman in a church centre while he worked for Perth and Kinross Council.
Rape accused
A Perth man is to stand trial accused of raping a woman 30 years ago.
Colin Pearson is charged with carrying out the attack at a flat in Dundee in June 1991.
Prosecutors allege the woman was intoxicated, falling in and out of consciousness and unable to give consent.
The case called for a short hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.
Pearson denies the charge and his legal team have lodged a special defence of incrimination.
Lord Fairley continued the case until a trial in Dundee, due to begin on January 24.
Pearson remains on bail meantime.
Benefits cheat
An Angus benefits cheat who scammed the Department of Work and Pensions out of more than £7,000 by failing to declare that he was receiving student funding has been handed unpaid work.
Ben McCallum gained £7,100 to which he was not entitled, between September 2017 and April 2019.
The 30-year-old, of Castle Street in Montrose, admitted knowingly failing to declare student loans and bursaries when claiming state benefits.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard the first offender is still due the DWP around £5,000 and that the money is being taken back “slowly.”
His defence solicitor explained that McCallum was apologetic and regrets committing the offence.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown opted not to jail him but handed him a 100-hour Community Payback Order instead.
Domestic assault brute
Michael Wilkie has been jailed for five years for a catalogue of horrific domestic abuse against his then-partner. The Perth mechanic assaulted her on Christmas Day in their home, in a layby at the side of the A9 and in the city centre following a birthday party.
Homophobic rants
Carol Borland, 55, subjected her neighbours to homophobic abuse and death threats.
She screamed at her neighbours “You two lezzers across the road, you’re f**king ugly”, among other bigoted and violent comments.
Borland, of Springbank Road, Alyth, threatened the two women: “I’d love to f**king kill you”.
Fiscal depute David Currie told Perth Sheriff Court, on the night of July 25 2021, Borland began shouting bigoted abuse at the two women outside their property.
She made sick noises and screamed: “You make me sick”
“The complainers took this to be a comment on their sexuality”, said Mr Currie.
Police were called to the scene the next afternoon and a non-harassment order was put in place.
In early September Borland shouted more abuse at one of the women from her window, hurling insults such as “fat idiot”.
Borland’s defending solicitor told the court his client has recently lost a partner and had been struggling with alcohol during lockdown.
“She’s had a drink problem for a number of years [and] she’s not been treated with any sympathy from the local community.”
Sheriff Foulis responded: “Yes, there are other issues but if the lady didn’t consume alcohol in excess, she wouldn’t behave this way.”
He warned Borland that she could face a custodial sentence in the future if she does not deal with her alcohol issues.
He deferred sentence for four months for good behaviour.
Leg loss fine
Dundee firm D Copeland Engineering has been fined £25,000 for health and safety breaches. Blacksmith Kenneth McIntosh had to have part of a leg amputated after it was crushed under an unsecured platform on which he was working.
In case you missed it…
Wednesday round-up — Drunken sailors and stolen BMW
Tuesday round-up — Ear bite claim and Troon Avenue murder accused
Monday round-up — Boots ban and forgotten knife
Friday round-up — Wet wall wally and nonagenarian nonsense
EXCLUSIVE: How fraudsters scammed Crieff restaurant out of £44,000 in elaborate curry racket