A knife-wielding man who robbed a Kirkcaldy shop worker of a bottle of Buckfast has been jailed for two years.
William Vanbeck, 46, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing by video link to prison after earlier pleading guilty to assaulting and robbing the man at Malkhas convenience store in Birnam Road on September 5 last year.
He admitted having a knife in public without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard previously Vanbeck entered the shop shortly before 2pm and a member of staff recognised him.
Vanbeck picked up a bottle of Buckfast, walked to the counter and presented a knife to the worker and said of the bottle: “I need this.”
Defence lawyer Elizabeth Dryburgh said previously her client struggles significantly in the community and is “motivated by the desire to return to custody”.
Referring to a psychiatric report, she said Vanbeck had worked most of his adult life but suffered a stroke five years ago which led to a “significant deterioration” in his mental wellbeing.
He has had alcohol dependency most of his adult life, exacerbated by loss of employment, but is able to abstain in custody.
Sentencing, Sheriff Krista Johnston noted Vanbeck’s lengthy criminal record, that he has been sent to prison on “numerous occasions,” and recently repeatedly committed offences involving use or possession of a knife.
She jailed Vanbeck for two years, backdated to September 6 when he was remanded.
The sheriff also imposed a one-year supervised release order in order to protect the public from serious harm upon his release and made an added requirement he engage in alcohol counselling when he is released.
Abusive pensioner
A Perthshire pensioner hid his wife’s passport to prevent her from travelling as part of a campaign of abuse spanning more than two decades. Frank Robb, 80, constantly shouted at and belittled his “much younger” partner and told her “I wish you were dead”.
Pizza robbery
A pole-weilding thug gave a fake name to police after stealing a takeaway delivery driver’s pizza and milkshake at a Dundee block of flats.
Aaron De Schafta seized the man’s food and drink order as he emerged from a lift on the ground floor of Adamson Court.
The delivery man tried to keep hold of the cheese pizza and shake but 32-year-old De Schafta insisted: “That’s my order.”
Perth Sheriff Court heard the driver called police, concerned one of De Schafta’s group was carrying two metal poles behind his back.
When they checked CCTV, they saw De Schafta “in an animated manner” with one of the poles, striking it off the ground.
De Schafta appeared in the dock and pled guilty to charges of theft, possession of a weapon and attempting to pervert the course of justice – he had lied about his name – on July 22 last year.
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said her client had made the best of his time on remand, repairing and restoring bicyclesfor underprivileged children.
Sheriff Robert More praised him for a “very pleasing” pre-sentencing report but added “you will appreciate the court considers there is no alternative to custody” and jailed him for a year
Schoolgirl pics
A pervert found in Fife with photographs of unsuspecting schoolgirls on his phone has been sent to prison for four years. Alexander Hope‘s filthy stash was found after he had been stung by a paedophile hunter group.
Kicked in head
Gordon Thomson, 53, kicked his partner “three or four times” to the face in a disagreement about money, Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard.
He was sentenced after earlier pleading guilty to the domestic assault, which took place at an address in Dunfermline on March 29 this year.
Thomson, of Carlownie Place, Gorebridge, Midlothian, admitted repeatedly kicking the woman on the head to her injury.
Prosecutor Matthew Knapp told the court Thomson was described as “going mental” in the argument and “kicked her in the head three or four times with force”.
She suffered a burst lip and nose. Neighbours contacted police.
Defence lawyer Alexander Flett said his client and the woman were both drinking all day and he “very little beyond that”.
Thomson was given 120 hours of unpaid work and six-month contact ban.
‘Showing off’?
A young Fife driver may have been “showing off” when he lost control of his car and struck a wall, leaving himself and three passengers seriously injured. Grant Moffat’s vehicle was split in two in the horrific crash in Fife. He ended up in hospital for about a month and his partner and two other friends in the car suffered multiple broken bones.
Fife crash
An Inverkeithing man crashed across a roundabout and into another vehicle while transporting friends and family from a children’s birthday party.
Brendan Gallacher, 40, had a two-year-old in the vehicle in Rosyth at the time.
Fiscal depute Azrah Yousaf told Dunfermline Sheriff Court: “Whilst he was driving, he lost control of the car and drove onto a patch of grass.
“He hit a metal fence and went onto the roundabout and collided with another vehicle.
“The accused got out of the car and rushed to the back to get (the child) then approached the other car to make sure they were okay.
“Paramedics were called but they were not required.”
Solicitor Aime Allan, defending, said: “He was driving an unfamiliar vehicle and has misjudged the junction.
“He accepts his responsibility and he’s grateful neither he, (the child) or the other occupants were injured.”
Gallacher, of Spittalfield Crescent, admitted driving dangerously on Queensferry Road on July 14 last year by driving at excessive speed, losing control and driving over the central reservation and a roundabout, before colliding with the other car.
Sheriff Krista Johnston told him: “This is a terrible incident of driving and the consequences could have been tragic – disastrous for those involved.
“You can consider yourself extremely fortunate.”
She disqualified him from driving for 13 months and ordered him to carry out 70 hours of unpaid work.
Stirling
The Courier is regularly covering Stirling Sheriff Court. All the latest cases can be found in a tailored round up.
Bankruptcy risk
A man was found slumped over the wheel of his vehicle after becoming drunk at a Fife pool tournament.
Christopher McCrann, 37, was approached by police, who had been contacted by concerned members of the public on November 17 last year.
They were unable to wake him by knocking on the window and on opening the car door smelled alcohol.
The joiner, from Cumbernauld, pled guilty at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to being in charge of the vehicle with excess alcohol (79mics/ 22).
His defence agent said he was playing in a pool tournament with friends, who were staying in caravans nearby.
He said that McCrann ran his own business and would likely go bankrupt if banned from driving.
He was handed 10 penalty points and fined £600.
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