A partial blackout caused pandemonium at Dundee Sheriff Court on Friday morning.
As doors opened, attendees were told the building had been hit by a power cut caused by high winds and torrential downpours overnight.
Most courtrooms were unable to open, with back-up electricity being used to light part of one.
Shortly after 10am, it was announced all business – about 70 cases – would be squeezed into two basic rooms at the court’s annexe building across the street.
The court officer dramatically intoned: “We’ve got about 40 minutes of power left before the whole building goes down.”
At the annexe, all summary trials called before Sheriff Gregor Murray, with attendance of the accused now excused.
All trials were deferred to new dates – even cases which were expected to be resolved.
Sentence was further delayed for domestic abuser William Petrie, because worsening weather conditions had prevented him being brought from HMP Perth.
Almost all other business was adjourned.
Death crash sentence
A van driver who killed a cyclist in an early morning crash has been banned from the roads and given an unpaid work order. David McGregor, 48, from Crossgates, hit William Crawford on the A913 Cupar to Newburgh road in Fife on September 26 2019. He admitted causing death by careless driving.
Prison weapon
A prisoner took a weapon made from a toothbrush and razor blades into a shower block at HMP Perth.
Dylan Graham, formerly of Burntisland, was found guilty after trial of having the weapon while on remand for another offence on November 17 last year.
The 33-year-old also pled guilty to stealing a bag containing a purse in Burntisland’s Fidra Avenue in February 2020.
Graham appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court via video link from prison to be sentenced for both crimes.
Sheriff Maryam Labaki described the weapon as “truly chilling” and jailed Graham for 10 months, backdated to October 5.
Graham was also sentenced to five months for the bag theft, to run concurrently.
Shop boss sentenced
A Perthshire former shop boss who grabbed and kissed a teenager without her consent has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register. John Dobbie assaulted the 17-year-old at the Mountain Warehouse store in Pitlochry, where he worked as a supervisor.
‘Overpowering alcohol odour’
A drink-driver who was more than five and a half times the limit told police he was driving a friend home to Cowdenbeath.
Stuart Bowman was spotted after he missed the turning for the on-slip of the A92 and took the turning meant for traffic coming in the opposite direction.
Officers then saw him weaving across the carriageway and forced him to stop.
They were hit by an “overpowering odour of alcohol” when he opened his car door, fiscal depute Eve McKaig said.
At Dunfermline Sheriff Court the 55-year-old was told he faces having his car confiscated.
Ms McKaig said when cautioned Bowman said he was just dropping a friend off in Cowdenbeath.
Bowman, of Moncur Street, Dunfermline, admitted driving with excess alcohol (123 mics/ 22) on the A92 on November 9.
Sentence was deferred for reports.
Refuge faker
A Women’s Aid group said it is “appalled” paedophile Katie Dolatowski duped them into handing out a place at a refuge. The 22-year-old serial sex offender from Fife, who identifies as female, gained access to the Leeds Domestic Violence Service (LDVS) earlier this year with fake documents to hide her crimes. She is currently in Cornton Vale for unrelated matters.
Violent teen
A teenage boy bit a man who pinned him to the ground while breaking up a fight.
The 16-year-old – too young to have his name made public – was one of three males fighting in the grounds of Aberdour primary school.
The man shouted at them to stop before running over to intervene.
The accused tried to punch the man so he restrained him on the ground.
The teenager bit him on the arm and punched the back of his head before making off.
He was tracked down by police but lashed out as they arrested him.
The teenager admitted both March 26 assaults.
His defence solicitor said the boy had been “under the influence” and regretted the incident.
He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and placed on supervision for 18 months.
999 pest
A Fife man who made repeated nuisance 999 calls demanded to be put through to MI6 to “make a report to Boris Johnson about Nicola Sturgeon”. Andrew Dean, 61, made bizarre references to bombs, the SAS and the Queen in 14 calls over several days in August and October. He was jailed.
