Allegations of a wild car chase across Dundee lead the Wednesday court round-up.
Dundee car chase claims
Derek Heggie appeared in Dundee Sheriff Court this week in connection with alleged involvement in a chaotic car chase.
The 39-year-old pled not guilty to four separate road traffic charges.
He is alleged to have driven a BMW at excessive speeds along Kingsway East, Douglas Road, Baldovie Road and on to the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath, while being pursued by police.
The vehicle was said to have lost traction with the road and failed to leave space for other road users, causing them to take evasive action.
Heggie allegedly failed to stop at red light and overtook other vehicles when unsafe to do so.
The charges made reference to the vehicle being driven at excessive speeds where roadworks were being carried out.
This is said to have caused two roadworkers to flee, in order to avoid being struck by the car.
Heggie, of Union Street, Montrose, has also been charged for driving without insurance, not displaying ‘L’ plates and for failing to stop vehicle for police.
He was bailed and a trial has been set for August 2022.
Dundee pervert jailed
Dundee paedophile Shane Reilly has been given more prison time after a police raid on his flat uncovered sick child abuse files on his phone. The 26-year-old appeared by videolink in the sheriff court on his 26th birthday and was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade.
Banned from Asda and Home Bargains
Stevan Hogg from Forfar has been banned from two major retailers after he admitted threatening staff.
He appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and pled guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner his home town’s Home Bargains and Asda.
The 30-year-old admitted acting aggressively towards retail workers on November 20.
He also punched and kicked glass exit doors and refused to leave when he was asked to do so.
Hogg shouted, swore and threatened police officers with violence.
Four days later, he shouted and swore at Asda staff members Lynn McKenzie and Nicola Davidson, while brandishing a bottle.
On nearby New Road, Hogg struggled with police officers and made sexual comments to them.
Hogg, of Dundee Road, will be sentenced on February 3.
In the meantime, he was been ordered to stay out of Asda and Home Bargains.
Casino request
The Crown has asked a casino to open its books to determine whether a fraudster really spent up to £90,000 of stolen cash on gambling. Recovery of the ill-gotten gains of Timothy Grantham – who took more than £150,000 from his frail mother-in-law’s accounts – is being sought and the Grosvenor casino has been asked to help investigate the matter.
Car wash attack
A Fife thug who attacked his former girlfriend at the Dunfermline car wash where he worked will be sentenced next year.
Greig Hamilton, 25, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to admit to two assaults.
On January 22, he got into an argument with the woman while in a stationary car at Arc Car Wash on Nethertown Broad Street.
Hamilton seized her by the leg and squeezed it tightly before seizing her throat with both hands and pulling her hair.
She photographed red marks, which were left on her neck but did not contact police at that time.
Less than a month later, Hamilton attacked the woman again at a property in Kirkcaldy’s Saunders Street.
He threw a phone charger at her, striking her body, then repeatedly pinned her down and pushed her, following her as she tried to get away.
Again, Hamilton seized her throat and again he left red marks on her neck.
Hamilton pushed her to the floor and again pinned her down before repeatedly kicking her hip and threatening her with violence.
The woman’s mother called police.
Hamilton, of Wedderburn Street in Dunfermline, pled guilty to both attacks.
Sheriff Pino Di Emidio deferred sentence until January 18 and called for reports.
Court order breach
A sex offender from Fife breached his strict sexual offences prevention order by having an illicit mobile phone and then inadvertently revealed he had done so further by communicating illegally with a woman. Sandy Ross was jailed for a year.
Drug dealer no-show
An arrest warrant has been issued for a hapless drug dealer who accepted a lift from police while carting £140,000 worth of cannabis.
Jesse Winsborough crashed his car in whiteout conditions on the A9 in Perthshire.
Officers who were called to scene spotted the 30-year-old walking along the roadside, carrying two suitcases.
They offered him a lift to Gleneagles train station but noticed a strong smell of cannabis when they loaded his cases into their car.
Perth Sheriff Court heard they contained 14 kilos of vacuum-packed bags of cannabis.
Winsborough, from Waltham Forest, has admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs between London and Perthshire on January 27 and 28, last year but he failed to turn up for sentencing on Wednesday.
Solicitor David Holmes presented the court with a letter from Winsborough’s employers, which described him as “social, reliable and dependable”.
He could not explain why he had not attended.
Sheriff Gillian Wade issued a warrant for his arrest.
In case you missed it…
Tuesday round-up — Drink-driver ditched and dog walker attack
Monday round-up — Syringe assault and Facebook breach
Friday round-up — VAT fraud boss and prison phones
Thursday round-up — Aviva embezzler and forecourt thief
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
