A man threatened police officers’ families after getting arrested for an outburst in Coupar Angus.
Perth Sheriff Court heard that Brandon Williamson, 23, got into an argument with a man helping his mother clean out her house.
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson said the man walked past Williamson’s then-home in Princes Croft and the accused ran out, challenged him to fight and shouted at him for around five minutes.
The racket was overheard by a neighbour, who contacted police.
Williamson was found later that night and taken to Dundee police station.
“At the charge bar, he behaved in an abusive and threatening manner,” the fiscal depute said.
Williamson told two officers: “I’ll find out your families and where you stay. F*** you, c***.”
Sheriff Alison McKay deferred sentence and told Williamson she was very concerned he was back in court, after having admitted a similar offence in September.
Solicitor David Holmes confirmed his client had since left Coupar Angus and moved in with his uncle at Ballingry.
Student knife fright
A St Andrews University student chased a flatmate with a knife and held it to her throat, as well as pouring vodka in her eyes and shutting her in a room where he started a fire. Geography student Ewan Harvey wept and held his head in his hands as he was found guilty of a series of bizarre and dangerous offences in his student flat.
Bit prison officer
An under-the-influence inmate bit a prison guard during a violent outburst at HMP Perth.
Jon Duncan faces going back to jail after admitting the assault against an officer on June 26 2021.
The 30-year-old father-of-two, from Dundee, was on remand at the time.
He was previously jailed for smashing his BMW into an overpass on the Kingsway, causing £60,000 of damage.
Perth Sheriff Court heard that on the morning of the offence Duncan was being treated by a nurse following an apparent seizure.
Fiscal depute Emma Farmer said: “He was clearly under the influence of some kind of substance.”
Duncan began behaving erratically and other officers were called to his cell to assist.
During a struggle, Duncan bit down on the guard’s arm, failing to break the skin but leaving a graze and his victim required a Tetanus shot.
Solicitor Theo Finlay, defending, said: “This happened when he was suffering from drug problems and still entrenched in offending behaviour.
“He has moved away from that now, and is motivated to make positive changes.”
Sheriff Alison McKay deferred sentence until early next year and said: “You will no doubt understand that custody is at the forefront of my mind.
“I can’t have people who are in custody assaulting prison officers like this.”
Ex-police paedophile
A former police officer from Fife was jailed for a second time for carrying out sex crimes against boys in the RAF cadets. Colin Fowler plied youngsters with alcohol and abused them at his home in Anstruther after meeting them through the air training corps. The latest victim contacted police after learning of Fowler’s earlier convictions – although he had reported him originally and never been called back.
Dodged prison
A Fife man who used a Volkswagen Scirocco “as a weapon” was spared imprisonment, despite previously being told he would go to jail.
Offshore worker Robert Lyall admitted the vehicular assault at a hearing at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court last month.
Lyall was told by Sheriff Timothy Niven-Smith he would be jailed after smashing into a pedestrian, before fleeing shortly after midnight on October 13 2021.
John Maxwell was thrown onto the bonnet and Lyall reversed at speed to remove him and then fled after the life-endangering attack.
Mr Maxwell had a seizure in front of police officers after they traced him that night.
He was rushed to Ninewells by ambulance to be given a full-body CT scan and was kept in hospital for three days.
Deferring for reports, Sheriff Niven-Smith said: “The court’s hands are tied today because the matter is of such sufficient seriousness and calls for a custodial sentence… You will require to put in place arrangements to support your family when the court imposes the custodial sentence, which is inevitable.”
However, after meeting with social workers, Lyall returned to the dock and appeared before Sheriff Charles Lugton, who opted not to impose custody, or a similarly promised driving ban.
Sheriff Lugton sentenced Lyall to 270 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative and made Lyall subject to a 12-month supervision order.
Cocaine bust
A cocaine dealer caught with thousands of pounds worth of drugs in a Perth city centre flat has been jailed. Police forced their way into the property in New Row and found Scott Kerr and almost £3,000 worth of cocaine.
Explosion driver caught again
A caged driver who smashed a stolen car into a Fife family’s property before blowing it up has had his jail time extended.
Michael Reddington was imprisoned for seven years in June for the “cowardly and despicable” crime.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how he drove the vehicle into a garage at Lochgelly, which was attached to the family’s home, then set fire to the car causing an explosion.
Reddington was seen running from the blaze with his hand on fire and his face singed.
On Friday, he appeared via video link at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted possessing an unauthorised Sim card in his prison-issued mobile while on remand.
Sheriff Derek Reekie told Reddington: “Unfortunately the problem with unauthorised devices in prisons is well known… a custodial sentence is inevitable.”
Reddington was sentenced to a further four months behind bars, once his current jail sentence is completed.
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