All human life to end the week.
Gelled-up prison assault
An armed robber will not serve extra time behind bars despite attacking a prison officer at HMP Perth.
Ross Torrance, 34, stripped off and covered himself in shower gel before head butting the guard during a bizarre outburst in his cell.
Perth Sheriff Court heard he was earlier caught with illicit SIM cards.
Sheriff Francis Gill told Torrance his behaviour warranted custody and handed him six months imprisonment, beginning immediately and running alongside his existing sentence so it will not affect his release date of March 2023.
Fiscal depute Lisa Marshal said prison officers were at Torrance’s cell in the afternoon of September 9, trying to get him to hand over “an item”.
“He was gesticulating aggressively.
“Further staff members arrived and the accused said he would be happy to hand over the item but he became agitated and lunged forwards and head butted Mr Craik on the nose.
“He was left with a bleeding nose, but he did not require any further treatment.”
The court heard that officers found two unauthorised SIM cards in his cell on June 21.
Torrance admitted charges of assault and possession of the cards.
Solicitor Lorna Clark said: “On the day of the assault, he felt that the officers were being very heavy handed.
“He had an injury on his shoulder and he felt it was being aggravated by their manhandling.”
Torrance, now serving time in HMP Saughton, was jailed in 2017 for a balaclava-clad raid on petrol station in Bearsden, while wielding a meat cleaver.
Dangerous dog
A dangerous dog which sank its teeth into a golden labrador in Fife could be euthanised.
Craig Dingwall was not present at Dunfermline Sheriff Court but admitted being in charge of the dangerous dog in the Oakwell’s Stobie Place.
48-year-old Dingwall, of Old Mill Lane, Oakley, admitted he was the owner of the black Japanese Akita and Neapolitan Mastiff cross, on May 31.
The dog approached Rachel Newbigging and seized hold of her labrador’s body, pinning it to the ground.
Passer-by Andrew Lee failed in an attempt to force the dog to release its grip by prising open its jaws and was injured doing so.
Dingwall’s dog finally released the labrador but only after Mr Lee poured a bucket of cold water over both dogs.
Sheriff James MacDonald said: “This is an offence where the dog may be destroyed.
“It’s a serious matter.”
The sheriff deferred sentencing until December 22 for Dingwall to be present.
Match mooner claim
A Dundee football fan has been accused of public indecency by mooning at a recent Celtic versus Dundee match.
Joe Jackson, of Ladywell Avenue, Dundee is alleged to have repeatedly pulled down his trousers and showed his buttocks at Dens Park on November 7, when Celtic beat Dundee 4-2.
The 23-year-old did not appear in Dundee Sheriff Court when the case was called before Sheriff Mark Stewart QC.
The case was continued without plea until early January 2022.
Faeces flinger
A neighbour-from-hell who threw poo-filled parcels from his Perth flat has been place don supervision. John Cameron was repeatedly warned to stop the filthy practice, which he began because he was frightened of his blocked toilet.
Police PTSD
A Dundee police officer needed a Hepatitis B shot and PTSD counselling after a man refusing to wear a mask spat in his eye.
At Dundee Sheriff Court, Simon McGuinness pled guilty to acting abusively towards police.
The court heard how on the evening of July 22, 2020 officers and emergency services were outside McGuinness’ home on Tullideph Road, to assist the 45-year-old, who was bleeding from his arms and hands and sitting on the pavement.
“The accused screamed ‘I am God’ at the officers”, said Fiscal Depute Duncan Mackenzie.
He was brought into an ambulance but refused to wear a mask.
He spat at workers, hitting one officer on the face, and a spit hood was applied.
The next day, police attended McGuinness again on Arran Drive, where he was seen with blood on his hands.
Mr Mackenzie said: “The accused spat in the face of a police constable, hitting her in the eye.
“He then tried to spit at another officer but did not make contact.”
Defending counsel Carolyn Leckie said her client has “underlying health issues.”
Sheriff George Way deferred sentence until next month for the completion of social work reports.
Drink-drive power boss
Power boss Mark Friese, who tried to drive home from COP26 to Auchterarder while drunk, was caught when he took a wrong turn. However, he hid for an hour from police, claiming they had triggered childhood PTSD.
Co-op robbery claim
A man accused of committing a robbery at a Dundee supermarket has been remanded in custody.
Nicholas McKenzie allegedly targeted the Co-Op, Brook Street, on December 4 and made off with tobacco and a lighter.
Prosecutors allege the 41-year-old robbed a man of the items within the store.
It is alleged McKenzie was also found in possession a screwdriver.
McKenzie, of Brewery Lane, made no plea when he appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court.
No motion for bail was made on McKenzie’s behalf by solicitor Jim Laverty.
Sheriff Gregor Murray continued the case on petition for further examination and remanded McKenzie in custody meantime.
In case you missed it…
Thursday round-up — Micro-phone and cannabis bust
Wednesday round-up — ‘I don’t drink and drive’
Tuesday round-up — Headbutts and benefit cuts
Monday round-up — Scissors, smoke and solicitor strike
Perthshire couple ‘terrorised’ by nightmare neighbour say court’s compensation order is a joke
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
