Scaling the heights with the Friday court round-up.
Bridge climb claims
Four men have denied an allegation they “culpably and recklessly” climbed to the top of the iconic Forth Road Bridge without permission or any safety equipment.
The men – Adam Lockwood, 20, Alastair Law, 25, Christopher Allsopp, 35, and Stephen Sinclair, 34 – have all entered not guilty pleas in writing to Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
A trial date for all four of the men, who live in various parts of England, has been set for July 7.
The charge, detailed in court papers, states all four men “did culpably and recklessly climb the Forth Road Bridge cable to the top of the North Tower and descend again, without permission or any safety equipment and did show utter disregard for the consequences and to the danger of the lieges.”
The bridge, which towers 512 feet (156m) above the Firth of Forth, opened in 1964 and measures about 1.5 miles (2.5km) in length.
Abuse trial latest
Mormon Bishop Dennis Campbell – on trial with his wife Avril Campbell in Dundee for child abuse – has admitted belting the two complainers in the case when they were children. However, he has denied administering daily beatings and said he felt “justified” in his actions at the time. The couple deny all the charges against them and the trial continues.
Drunk in charge of child
A Kirkcaldy woman drank herself into a stupor while alone in a house with a young baby.
Samantha Kellichan then kicked off at police officers who told her she was unfit to continue caring for the child.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard neighbours called police after hearing banging coming from her home at around 1.40am.
Officers attended and found the 32-year-old in an “intoxicated” state with the baby sleeping upstairs.
After asking if the child could be cared for by someone else as Kellichan was too drunk to do so she began shouting and swearing.
After refusing to desist she was arrested.
Kellichan, of Seafield View, Kirkcaldy, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at her home address on June 24 last year.
Sentence was deferred.
‘Not a paedophile’
Scone pensioner Michael McFadden contacted what he thought was a 13-year-old girl and asked her to call him “uncle” before sending her a vile video and pictures. The 73-year-old, who said he was not a paedophile, was actually part of an online sting wich ended with him being confronted on the North Inch, where he had agreed to meet the “girl”.
Police Covid threat
A Dunfermline woman who pled guilty to making abusive comments towards police officers has been told she must appear in person for sentencing.
Angela Baillie, of the town’s Haig Crescent, admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner which caused fear and alarm by shouting and swearing and making abusive remarks, threats of violence and saying she had Covid-19.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard police were called to Baillie’s home on July 2 last year and she became hostile.
Senior procurator fiscal depute Azrah Yousaf said Baillie was arrested and began calling them “little p**fs, lesbians, Nazis and ‘mongos’.”
The depute fiscal said: “She went on to call them f****ng scumbags and paedophiles and words to that effect.
“This continued on the journey to Dunfermline police station within the police van.
“It’s fair to say alcohol had been consumed by Angela Baillie before police arrived.”
Baillie, 39, did not appear in court in person to admit the charge.
Defence solicitor, Aimee Allan, said her client had hoped the case could be dealt with in her absence as she found the court environment “extremely stressful”.
Sheriff Francis Gill said Baillie must appear in person for sentencing on April 8.
Drink-drive through Perthshire
Walter Douglas was found with a half-drunk can of Edinburgh Gin in his pocket when police stopped him for drink-driving on the M90. The 53-year-old from Larkhall was found to be four-times the drink drive limit and had driven from Birnam in his van.
Timewaster allegation
A Perth man has appeared in court accused of lying to police about being assaulted.
John Johnston has been charged with two counts of wasting police time.
It is alleged the 49-year-old falsely reported he was attacked on Christmas Eve.
The 49-year-old is accused of temporary depriving the public of police resources by calling for the assistance of emergency services for reasons he knew to be false.
Johnston, of Crieff Road, is further accused of falsely claiming to have been the victim of an assault and robbery on January 8.
It is also alleged that on March 24, at his home address and on a journey in a police vehicle to Dundee police station, Johnston behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by making threats to harm officers, shout, swear and make offensive remarks, while kicking and striking the cell within the van.
Johnston denied all charges during a brief appearance from custody at Perth Sheriff Court.
He was released on bail with a trial set for October 5, and an intermediate hearing on September 15.
Battling brothers
Lewis Squire slashed his own brother with scissors during a tense stand-off in Kirkcaldy. Squire also called his sibling homophobic and racist names, despite him being neither gay or of Pakistani origin.
Crocked East Neuk raider snared after crime scene crutch matched one found in his house
The full caseload of the Dundee Crime and Courts Team can be found here.
