A monster round-up for Tuesday.
Vodka Monster
Career criminal Lawrence Winters, 50, said he had no memory of a crime spree after downing most of a bottle of vodka and a can of Monster energy drink.
When asked by Sheriff William Wood if he pled guilty to charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and police assault, Winters replied: “As far as I remember, yes.”
Fiscal depute David Currie told the court “staggering” Winters was spotted by two female teenagers at a bus stop on Scott Street, Perth, at about 3.30pm on Friday.
“He made eye contact and started to approach them.
“He fell onto the bonnet of a parked car and then threw a black can across the street.
“He then walked to the bus shelter and stood about two inches from the face of one of the complainers, causing her to move away.
“He then staggered off to the St John’s Shopping Centre.”
Police were sent to the mall and Winters was loaded into the back of a police van.
“He shouted: ‘F*** off’ and ‘f*** the system’,” said Mr Currie.
At Dundee police station, Winters attempted to head butt police officer Craig McLeod.
Winters, who was the first in Scotland to be given a Community Payback Order – then spectacularly breached it within days – appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court.
Solicitor Paul Ralph said his client had earlier gone to Perth Royal Infirmary to visit his girlfriend but was told she had been moved to Ninewells.
“He then went to a newsagent and bough a bottle of vodka and a can of Monster.
“He poured most of the bottle into the can and drank it.“
“After that, he can’t remember anything about his behaviour.”
Winters, whose address was listed on court papers as “no fixed abode”, was jailed for eight months.
Paedophile racist
Fife paedophile Kirk Thompson has admitted racially abusing Premiership football star Yannick Bolasie. The vile slur was found on his phone along with child abuse material the day after it was sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo star, who was then playing for Everton, and who called it out on Twitter to his thousands of followers.
Train dispute
A train passenger has admitted striking a railway worker with a hold-all at Kirkcaldy station.
Omed Hassan, 23, of Morgan Street, Dundee, admitted assaulting train manager Andrew Garvie at the Fife station on May 19.
The night before, Mr Garvie had stopped Hassan from boarding a train as he had no ticket or reservation.
Hassan had arrived at the station with cash and the office had been shut so he bought a ticket the next morning.
However, when Mr Garvie spotted Hassan the next day on the platform, he again asked for a ticket and reservation.
Hassan had the former but no seat booking and an argument ensued, culminating in Hassan swinging his hold-all at the railway worker.
Both the employee and another member of staff had to hold Hassan on the ground until police arrived.
His defence solicitor Lee Qumsieh said Hassan, who is currently applying for asylum, had been embarrassed about not being allowed on the train.
He said: “Mr Hassan gets the impression the man still had an issue from him the night before.
“He accepts that momentarily, he lost his temper.”
Sheriff Alison McKay admonished Hassan.
Alcohol thief
Gang member Andrei-Gregore Zaboloteanu faces prison after admitting stealing more than £34,000 of alcohol from Luvians Bottle Shop in St Andrews. Police caught him after viewing CCTV and tracking him to his home in Luton.
Ouch!
A woman accused of grabbing a man’s testicles and pulling him to the ground has walked free from court.
Rebecca Paterson went on trial at Perth Sheriff Court, accused of an assault at an address in the city in July last year.
It was alleged the 35-year-old slapped a man on the head, seized him by the testicles and pulled him to the floor.
She also faced a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and making threats of violence.
Paterson, of Newhouse Road, Perth, was found not guilty of all charges following evidence from the alleged victim.
He told the court he had little memory of the alleged assault but said: “We were just as bad as each other.”
Fiscal depute Rebecca Kynaston told Sheriff William Wood the Crown would no longer pursue a conviction.
Crack in system
James Drinnan from Dundee has been jailed after being found slumped at the wheel of his car at a set of traffic lights with more than £1,000 of heroin and above the legal limit for cocaine derivative in his system.
Motorbike charges
A man accused of striking two women with a motorbike will stand trial next year.
Scott Stewart allegedly struck one of the women on the face with a helmet during the same incident on St Kilda Road, Dundee, on January 11.
The 26-year-old is charged with riding a motorcycle towards the first woman, mounting the pavement and driving at her causing her to take evasive action.
It is alleged the woman fell to the ground and was “struck on the leg with the machine”.
Stewart denies repeatedly striking the woman on the face with a helmet.
A second woman allegedly had the motorcycle driven at her in a similar manner by Stewart.
She was said to have been struck on the leg and had to take evasive action “for her own protection”.
Stewart, of Balunie Crescent, pled not guilty to the two charges he faces.
Sheriff John Rafferty fixed a trial for February.
Drunk in charge
Perthshire greenkeeper David Awburn was convicted of being in charge of a car while over the drink-drive limit. The 39-year-old was found in a layby on the A85 Perth to Crieff road after he had drunk vodka. He said he had no intention of driving but a sheriff disagreed.
In case you missed it…
Monday round-up — ‘Aye, that’s fair enough’
Friday round-up — Registration for single abuse image
Thursday round-up — Totally obsessed and banker bully
Wednesday round-up — Sock fetish and kebab blaze cannabis
Dundee joiner hit two men with Land Rover and beat another with golf club in drug debt dispute