More snapshots of life through the lens of courtrooms across Tayside and Fife.
Topless rampage
A teenager went on a topless rampage in a Fife village and lobbed stones at residents’ windows.
Brendan Perrie, of Castle Crescent in Kennoway, admitted wilfully or recklessly throwing stones at the windows of a house in nearby Halfields Gardens on April 18 and then abusing police.
The 18-year-old was naked from the waist up and roaring unintelligibly during the early afternoon fracas.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Claire Bremner said neighbours saw Perrie walking up the street topless, shouting and pointing at one of the properties, whilst its occupant was out.
The resident arrived at 1pm.
“She could see the accused was under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” said Ms Bremner.
“He had no top on and a bloody nose.
“She told him to go away.”
Perrie didn’t leave, however.
From inside her home, the woman heard smashing and saw Perrie hurling stones from her garden at the windows.
He was shouting, but what he was saying was unclear.
Police arrived and saw Perrie walking away. He told the officers to “f*** off”.
Perrie then swung a punch at PC Gary Foster.
The constable and a colleague chased after Perrie and apprehended him.
Perrie continued shouting and screaming and whilst en route to Kirkcaldy Police Station.
He told both officers he would “kick their eyeballs out” and “stamp on their heads until they burst.”
He also tried to spit at PC Matthew Bradford, but missed.
His solicitor Kerr Sneddon said he thought the dispute was in fact with a youth and not the woman who was in the house.
Sheriff James Williamson deferred sentence until March 9 for background reports.
Kinross slave owner
A Kinross dad-of-15 who kept a slave in a shed with no toilet or washing facilities has been put behind bars.
James McCann kept Andras Varga in disgraceful conditions of servitude and sent him out to work for a pittance in pay.
Mr Varga, a Hungarian national who has since died, had initially been made to live in a tent near a beach, where he had to wash in the sea, before being put in the metal shed.
He had to go to a supermarket to use the toilet as he was forbidden from going in the house.
Mr Varga was dirty and dishevelled when finally rescued by police.
McCann, 69, who was at the time living in the north of England, has now been jailed for modern slavery.
ASBO breach
A Dunfermline man who breached a court order by playing loud music thought it didn’t count because the sound was coming from his TV.
Ross Keir was banned from playing loud music by an ASBO issued in January last year.
However neighbours complained he was blasting out music one morning in July.
A visit from council officers confirmed the 33-year-old was in breach.
When interviewed by police, he told them: “It’s lies. I never had my stereo on”.
In a separate incident, Kier kicked off after turning up at a friend’s house at 3am while wearing only boxer shorts.
After being denied entry due to appearing intoxicated he left, but returned two hours later and began shouting abuse at his pal.
Solicitor Alan Davie, defending, said Keir did not think he was breaching the ASBO as he was playing music through his TV.
He added that on the night he had turned up at his friend’s door he had locked himself out accidentally and in the two hours between visits he had simply sat on his own doorstep
Mr Davie added that the two men have since made up.
Keir, of Law Road, Dunfermline admitted breaching his ASBO at his home address on July 23.
He further admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards a man at an address in the town’s Cow Road on December 12.
He also admitted being in possession of cannabis on the town’s Beath View on September 9 2020.
Keir was placed on an overnight curfew for six months.
One pound payback
A benefits cheat who conned taxpayers out of more than £40,000 has been allowed to walk free from court after being told to pay back just £1.
Diane Halko was ordered to pay the nominal sum under Proceeds of Crime legislation despite ripping off the benefits agency for several years.
Halko, 56, told the Department of Work and Pensions she had a severe disability and could only walk a short distance with the aid of sticks.
But she was working for Angus Council and Aberlour Childcare Trust and showing no signs of the mobility problems she had claimed.
Suspended Dundee Sheriff could face further action over sex claims after tribunal findings quashed
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
