A Fife man who admitted smashing up his own house was told by a sheriff “everyone makes mistakes”.
William Moir, 45, of Lawson Lane, Buckhaven, threw a vase across the room and smashed a glass panel following an argument with his partner over changing the channel while watching TV.
The 45-year-old stormed out of the property but later returned and acted in an aggressive manner towards the woman, who dialled 999.
Moir’s solicitor told the court the couple do not live together and the damage was to Moir’s own property.
Moir admitted he been threatening or abusive on May 20.
Sheriff Robert More admonished him, noting he had “an otherwise unblemished record” and adding “everyone makes mistakes”.
Fallen street angel
A “remorseless” disgraced Dundee charity champion has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after being convicted of attacking girls when he was a child.
61-year-old Gareth Norman raped a seven-year-old girl between 1975 and 1977 in a caravan in Dumfries and molested another young girl, aged 12 when the abuse began, at an address in Dundee between 1975 and 1978.
The former BNP member had outwardly reformed himself through work with the Night Ministry Street Angels homeless charity.
Punched himself to sleep
A ranting Crieff man punched himself to sleep and broke his girlfriend’s fridge freezer after downing a litre of vodka.
George Trueland flew into a rage during an “extremely distressing” evening at his now-ex-partner’s home in West High Street.
Prosecutor Stephanie Hendry told Perth Sheriff Court the couple had been in an off-on relationship for about 12 years.
She said Trueland, 51, of Mcowen Avenue, began dancing after finishing off his litre bottle in five hours.
His partner told him to sit down but he kept dancing until he fell on top of her, hurting her back.
“The accused became angry and started punching himself,” the fiscal depute said.
“This continued for some time before he fell asleep.”
During the night, Trueland began shouting and swearing, then went downstairs and broke the freezer door.
His girlfriend called the police non-emergency number 101 but did not speak and operators could hear Trueland ranting and banging in the background.
He pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive way on June 17 last year.
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, confirmed the relationship is now over.
“His memory of the evening is sketchy to say the least,” he said.
Sheriff David Hall ordered Trueland to stay away from his ex as part of a year-long non-harassment order, placed him on supervision for 12 months and imposed 80 hours unpaid work.
Debt collector
A London woman stabbed a Dundee debtor and rained blows on him with a makeshift knuckleduster after he failed to pay back what he owed. Hyesha Royes, 40, barged her way into her victim’s home to take violent revenge on him for failing to clear his outstanding debts. She used scissors and a television cable as weapons on her nearly-naked victim, as his brother watched.
Aggressive city centre beggar
A Dundee beggar has admitted taking a metal pole to city security staff.
David Gibson armed himself on Dundee’s Nethergate a fortnight before carrying out a murder bid on the same street, which landed him in prison for seven-and-a-half years.
That incident happened a month after he attacked a man who refused to give him money.
Gibson was brought from HMP Perth to Dundee Sheriff Court where he pled guilty to three assaults and a charge of acting threateningly.
On April 19, Gibson had been begging outside the Tesco supermarket in Dundee city centre when he asked a passer-by for money.
The man refused and Gibson got up to repeatedly punch him on the head and kick him on the body.
A month later, he turned his attention to a Tesco security guard.
At around 9.50pm, the 34-year-old was seen by the employee trying to put booze from the shop into his waistband.
He was stopped as he tried to leave and became aggressive, grabbing the guard by the collar pulling off his lanyard.
He was later seen outside the nearby Trades bar, armed with a metal pole and he spat towards both the Tesco security guard and the bar’s bouncer.
Sheriff George Way imposed a concurrent three-year prison sentence.
Since receiving a nine and a half year extended sentence for his attempted murder bid, Gibson has also appeared in court to admit racially abusing a beggar in Broughty Ferry in 2022.
Sextortionist
A jilted Dundee boyfriend who used a sextortion scheme in a bid to prevent his partner leaving him has been placed on a curfew. Falak Khan, 26, hatched an elaborate plot and made threats to expose his former boyfriend in a bizarre attempt to persuade him to continue their relationship.
Post fallout drink-drive
A drink-driving Fife NHS worker has been fined and banned from the road after being caught at more than three times over the legal limit.
Iain Stobo, 45, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead guilty to driving with excess alcohol (79mics/22) on Cowdenbeath High Street on July 10 this year.
Stobo, of Southfield Avenue, Ballingry, has a previous conviction for drink driving from 2007.
Procurator fiscal depute Louise Graham told the court police stopped his vehicle shortly after 4am after receiving information he may be driving under the influence.
He was slurring his words and they could smell alcohol so was taken to Dunfermline police station.
Defence lawyer Pete Robertson said his client, who works for the NHS in a clerical role, had been drinking beer and there had been a fallout with his partner.
He was fined and banned from driving for a year – which can be reduced by three months if he successfully completes a drink-driver rehabilitation scheme.
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