A suspect accused of murdering a man in Fife is said to have hit him with a pole and a television bracket.
Christopher Brown, 35, allegedly attacked Henry White at a property in Oakley, near Dunfermline on March 21 and 22 this year.
It is claimed the 57-year-old was repeatedly elbowed on the head before being grabbed and pulled to the ground.
Mr White was then said to have been punched and kneed by Brown.
Prosecutors further state Mr White was repeatedly struck on the head and body with a pole and a “television wall mounting bracket”.
It is also claimed he was dragged outside.
Brown faces a separate charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by trying to clean up any blood and get rid of the pole.
The case called for a hearing at the High Court in Glasgow and Mark Stewart KC pled not guilty on Brown’s behalf and added: “We are ready for trial.”
A trial was fixed for October 14 2024 at the High Court in Edinburgh and is expected to last more than a week.
Call for road safety action after tragedy
The wife of a Tayside motorcyclist killed by a driver who pulled out in front of him at a junction said motorists “must do more” to protect vulnerable road users.
Jon Marsh, from Brechin, was killed after becoming trapped under the wheels of Angela Addis’ MG car after she pulled out from a junction into his path in November 2022
Outside court, Tracey Marsh said: “I question how a penalty of 140 hours of community service acts as deterrent to others or sends any sort of message about our collective responsibility towards vulnerable road users.
“Poor driving has consequences and those on four wheels need to be reminded to take another look for those on two.
“If Jon’s death is to mean anything, we must do more.”
Keeps licence – by one point
Ravinder Chita, 22, of Glamis Terrace, Dundee, admitted careless driving on King’s Road, Rosyth, on September 11.
Defence lawyer Aime Allan submitted a guilty plea at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Chita’s behalf and said he was unable to attend court due to being in intensive care with meningitis.
Procurator fiscal depute Catherine Stevenson told the court police carrying out speed checks on the road clocked Chita at 58mph.
The court heard there was a 20mph speed limit on the road at the time, due to a nearby school, but it is usually a 30mph limit.
Ms Allan pointed out there were no school children present and no pedestrians.
She said Chita, who works for a company in Dunfermline, had gone out for lunch and, as they are only given 30 minutes, was running late to get back.
Ms Allan argued a driving ban would have “significant ramifications” for her client, as he would probably lose his job.
The solicitor said it had been a “wake up call”.
Sheriff Garry Sutherland noted his surprise at a guilty plea to careless driving being accepted as the case was at the high end of the scale.
He fined Chita £600 and imposed eight penalty points.
Because he already had three on his licence, one more offence will mean automatic disqualification.
Coke, ket and cash
Police enquiring about a possible drug-driver found their suspect’s passenger to have cocaine, ketamine and almost £1,000 in cash. Kamil Zegarowski, 22, from Arbroath, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of the Class A and Class B drugs.
Registration
A paedophile from Markinch has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register and under supervision for three years.
Elliot Gray, 20, returned to the dock at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, having previously admitted taking or making sick child abuse files between March and December last year and distributing the vile content between September and December 2022.
Gray, of Markinch, was handed a community payback order.
Solicitor Iain McCafferty said Gray had been diagnosed with autism and was engaging with Stop It Now!
He said: “The best public protection option going forward is a three-year order as opposed to custody.
“The report itself suggests he is someone very keen to avoid reoffending.
“He’s anxious not to be back in this situation.”
Sheriff James Williamson also ordered Gray to complete the Moving Forward: Making Changes programme to rehabilitate sex offenders and made a string of strict conduct requirements.
While supervised, Gray must live in approved accommodation and must have any contact with under-16s approved in advance.
He must make any devices capable of accessing the internet available for inspection and must not clear his search history.
Abuser jailed
A serial abuser who abducted one former partner and kicked another in the stomach while she was pregnant has been jailed for more than two years. Peter Yassen, 45, subjected three women in the Kirkcaldy area to his shocking behaviour during a period spanning a decade.
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