A convicted child rapist will go unpunished after an illegal SIM card was found hidden in his Perth Prison cell.
William Russell, who is serving a 10 year sentence for attacking a nine-year-old and sexually abusing her and her sister, appeared via video link at the city’s sheriff court and admitted having the contraband on May 13.
The SIM card was discovered by guards inside an empty Pot Noodle container.
Russell, 39, whistled a tune when appeared on screen in court and was reminded he was “live” in front of Sheriff Andrew Berry.
The sheriff admonished Russell, because he was already in the prison system.
Russell, originally from Brightons, near Falkirk, responded: “Cheers!”
He was jailed in 2018 at the High Court in Aberdeen.
One victim, now 21, told the court she and her 24-year-old sister had initially not told anyone what they had suffered at Russell’s hands while he was babysitting them.
It was only when they spoke about the “nightmares” they were experiencing that they realised they had both suffered similar ordeals.
Jail after nine-hour stand-off
A man who was shot at by police after a nine-hour siege in Kinglassie has been locked up for two years.
Armed police opened fire on William Davidson as they feared he was going to shoot a neighbour during an all-day siege in which a pickup truck was torched in the street.
Two shots were fired at the 46-year-old in the large-scale disturbance at his house in Kinglassie as they believed he was pointing a handgun at a woman in the street as nearby homes were being evacuated.
On Tuesday, he returned to Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to be sentenced.
Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed Davidson for two years, backdating his sentence to December when he was first remanded.
Describing the dramatic nine-hour siege last December at a previous hearing, procurator fiscal depute Claire Bremner told the court: “The accused repeatedly attended at the window and it looked like a weapon at the window.
“Firearms officers fired two shots towards the accused. Both missed and the accused moved away.”
At least one of the two bullets entered the property through an open window.
It later transpired the weapon Davidson was brandishing was an air pistol.
He admitted wilfully setting fire to a car, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly brandishing a knife and a ball-bearing air weapon and making violent threats.
Terrorist admits court breach
A man who used his Fife flat to hoard ammunition while he was a member of an outlawed loyalist paramilitary group has admitted failing to let police know he had moved house.
Steven Moffat was handed a 15-year notification requirement in 2006 when he was jailed for stashing a firearm and live ammo at his Buckhaven home.
He was a member of terrorist organisation the Ulster Defence Association at the time.
After admitting his involvement with the group at an Edinburgh High Court hearing, Moffat was locked up for five years.
He was given strict orders to notify police of any changes in his life, including when he moved address.
But he breached his order by failing to notify police about moving house in February.
Man, 81, accused of historic abuse
An 81-year-old Angus man has been accused of a number of child abuse charges including molesting a 13-year-old girl.
Michael Haugh, of Kirkgait, Letham, is alleged to have sexually assaulted the teen and another 15-year-old girl on numerous occasions between 2010 and 2017.
He appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court, where a continued first diet was scheduled.
Haugh is accused of attempting to engage a 15-year-old in sexual activity without her consent, approach her from behind, put his hands under her clothing and squeeze her body.
He is further alleged to have repeatedly asked her to wear a dress, in exchange for gifts and attempt to photograph her.
This was alleged to have happened between February 2, 2010 and December 31, 2011.
He also stands accused of, between July 18, 2014 and July 19, 2017, sexually assaulting a child at numerous addresses in Arbroath – including the sport centre – and repeatedly squeezing her body and instruct her to put on a dress.
He is also accused of possessing indecent images of children and making indecent images of children at his home address between August 11, 2012 and October 18, 2019.
Haugh will return to Dundee Sheriff Court on September 6 for a continued first diet.
Acquitted of death by careless driving
A Fife driver has been acquitted of causing the death of a pedestrian in Kirkcaldy.
Robert Townsley was struck by a car as he crossed the town’s Hayfield Road in March 2019.
The 57-year-old, who suffered devastating neck and head injuries, died in hospital a week later.
Motorist Ewan Mackinnon went on trial at the town’s sheriff court, accused of causing Mr Townsley’s death by careless or inconsiderate driving.
Prosecutors alleged he should have seen the pedestrian stepping on to the road sooner than he did.
After four days of evidence, jurors took just over an hour to find the charge not proven.
The verdict sparked an emotional outburst from members of Mr Townsley’s family.
Speaking after the trial, Mr Mackinnon told us there was nothing more he could have done.
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