Grab a gin – it’s Friday round-up time.
Prison plea
A 21-year-old Fife man caught with cocaine had his request to be remanded in custody rejected by a sheriff.
Lee Spence, of Kirk Drive, Leslie, pled guilty to possessing the Class A drug on August 13.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, Spence’s defence solicitor David Cranston said his client wished to be remanded rather than be released on bail pending background reports for a deferred sentence next month.
Mr Cranston said his client’s domestic situation had been breaking down and described his current lifestyle as “extremely unstable.”
However, Sheriff Francis Gill declined the request, stating he felt it was inappropriate, and further deferred sentence until March 12.
As the sheriff gave his decision, Spence interjected to say: “That’s not going to happen.”
Afterwards, Spence left the dock reluctantly and was shaking his head and two court police officers escorted him out of the courtroom.
Murderer weeps
Murderer Adam Gallagher, once dubbed one of Scotland’s most dangerous men, wept in the dock at Dundee after being cleared of molesting a 10-year-old child. The allegation dated back to 2005, when Gallagher was 17 and just months before he stabbed to death a teenager in an Arbroath street.
Killer attacks
A convicted killer who admitted an attack on a woman in a Fife park will be sentenced next month.
Michael Williamson, of Glenrothes, previously admitted leaving Julianna Cuthill injured after a ruthless attack in Kinloss Park in Cupar.
He has been released from HMP Perth on bail and will be sentenced on March 10.
Sheriff Paul Brown ordered a restriction of liberty order assessment and a report to see if Williamson is fit for a drug testing treatment order.
He was released with special conditions not to contact Ms Cuthill and stay indoors between 7pm and 7am.
At a previous hearing at Dundee Sheriff Court, mobile phone footage recorded by a neighbour, who heard the woman’s screams and she was punched and stamped on, was shown.
Williamson, a HMP Perth inmate, admitted acting with another to assault Ms Cuthill on June 16.
He pled guilty to repeatedly punching her head and tripping her, causing her to fall to the ground.
The 42-year-old stamped on Ms Cuthill’s head and body, as well as kicking her.
The brutal attack left her with a swollen and bruised left eye and hand and a one inch cut to her cheek.
Williamson, who already had convictions for assault and robbery, killed his girlfriend 20 years ago.
In 2001, aged 22, he was jailed for seven years after stabbing to death his then-partner Sarah Jane Morgan during a row at an address in Kirkcaldy’s Farne Court.
The Crown accepted a plea to the reduced charge of culpable homicide.
300 cannabis plants in a Vauxhall
Police stopped a car stuffed with 300 cannabis plants on the A90 at Stracathro. The seizure was part of a major operation against a drug-growing gang in the north-east of Scotland. Its driver, Arturas Litkinas and accomplices Romualdas Galdikas, Justas Brazinskas and Tadas Jurjonas will be sentenced in March.
Knife threat
A 49-year-old Glenrothes man admitted assaulting his partner and holding a knife against her throat.
Mark Spinks, of Cluny Place, pled guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to the assault at his home on February 8, 2020.
Procurator fiscal depute, Zahra Bhatti, said Spinks and his partner had been celebrating a child’s birthday and the had been drinking alcohol.
Defence lawyer David Bell said Spinks has not been involved in any offending since the incident two years ago.
However, he has previous convictions for domestic offences.
Mr Bell said his client has also made efforts to reduce his abuse of alcohol.
Sheriff Francis Gill imposed a community payback order requiring 200 hours of unpaid work and a supervision requirement for two years.
Spinks is also required to undertake the Caledonian programme which tackles domestic abuse.
Fallen footballer
Former Fife football starlet Calvin Gray was given an unpaid work order for a sinister campaign of domestic abuse against his partner, including scouring her social media accounts. Gray, who had trained with Dunfermline FC and Spanish giants Valencia and Villareal, blamed a career-ending injury for his offending.
A 35-year-old Methil man has been fined £300 and placed under supervision for a year for striking and biting his ex-partner on the head during an assault and threatening her with violence.
Lee Dunn, of Tay Street, previously pled guilty to the charges at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
Procurator Fiscal depute Zahra Bhatti told the court the pair had been arguing in the lead up to the incident on January 2 and when police attended, they observed signs of a disturbance, including broken tiles and glass.
Sheriff Francis Gill imposed a community payback order for the assault and in relation to the second offence of uttering offensive remarks and threats of violence towards the woman at Kirkcaldy police station, he fined Dunn £300.
Perth sex attacker may never be freed from prison after murder bid, judge rules
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
