A 23-year-old man accused of stabbing a woman in a murder bid near Dundee’s docks has been ordered to stand trial.
Tommy-Jay Wallace allegedly attempted to murder the 35-year-old woman on May 14.
Also known as Tommy Craig, Wallace allegedly grabbed the woman and dragged her to the ground on Stannergate Road and Broughty Ferry Road.
It is alleged he repeatedly struck her on the head and body with a knife to her injury.
Wallace, of Broughty Ferry Road, was previously remanded in custody after appearing on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court.
He continued to make no plea when he made a second appearance at the same court in connection with the allegations.
No motion for bail was made and Sheriff Gregor Murray continued Wallace’s remand in custody after fully committing him for trial.
‘Scotland’s dumbest criminal’
A hapless enforcer who set fire to himself while torching a car in Dundee has been dubbed “Scotland’s dumbest criminal” by a sheriff. Darren Gibb was acting on the orders of gangland figures to set fire to three vehicles across Dundee in targeted attacks.
Murderer jailed
A murderer, who claims he stabbed his victim after being bottled by a Fife teenager in Edinburgh, has been jailed for life.
Bailey Dowling, 21, was ordered to serve 15 years in jail before he is eligible to apply for release after murdering Lewis McCartney in a street attack in the city.
At the High Court in Edinburgh Lord Matthews said Mr McCartney, 18, was “robbed” of his future.
Londoner Dowling armed himself with a knife before he left a flat to meet a group, which included Mr McCartney, prior to the fatal violence on February 12 2023 at Viewcraig Street.
Before he fled Edinburgh he abandoned the murder weapon in the grounds of Holyrood Palace.
Dowling, who was aged 19 at the time, had denied murder and claimed he acted in self-defence but was convicted after a trial.
He said he did not intend to harm the victim but was trying to get away after he was struck on the head with a bottle by another member of the group.
He said: “I was dazed and confused after I was hit and then I took out the knife.”
He disputed evidence he had the knife in his hand before he was struck with the bottle.
Benjamin Wilson, 21, of Broomhill Avenue, Burntisland, was convicted of assaulting Dowling by striking him on the head with a bottle.
He was ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work under a two-year community payback order.
‘Booze fund’ embezzlement
An electrician from Perth stole £70,000 from his own business, transferring money into his account under the reference “booze fund” and using cash for holidays, restaurants and cinema trips. Scott Bathgate admitted embezzling from North Muirton-based My Eco Solutions over a five-year period.
‘The drugs ran out’
A Fife man who was verbally abusive to his partner after an argument about drugs “running out” has been fined £300.
Shaun Gillan, 34, of Central Way, Dalgety Bay, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after previously pleading guilty to a domestically-aggravated offence of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting and swearing at the woman on February 6 this year at his home.
Prosecutor Isma Mukhtar told the court Gillan and the woman were drinking prosecco together and at around 10pm, she challenged him about “lying in relation to an unspecified matter”.
Defence lawyer Chris Sneddon said it happened “because the drugs ran out”.
Sheriff Susan Duff fined Gillan £300 and told him, though it is a lot for someone on benefits, it reflects the number of previous convictions he has with domestic aggravations.
Ear bite
A brute who bit a chunk out of a neighbour’s ear during an “animalistic” assault has been spared a prison sentence. Ryan Robertson’s shocking attack on Darren McKay unfolded in front of children on a summer’s morning in the Fintry area of Dundee.
Re-sentenced after breach
A teenager who repeatedly kicked and stamped on his victim’s head in an attack at Glenrothes bus station has been jailed for 18 months after failing to comply with his community order.
Callum Robinson, 19, previously pled guilty to the life-endangering assault on a 17-year-old boy, while acting with others, on April 27 2023.
Robinson, then 18, told police his victim “started on me so I smashed him”.
Prosecutor Lee-Anne Barclay told a court previously the victim was described as acting aggressively and shouting at people after alighting a bus and a group brought him to the ground and attacked him.
In September last year, Robinson, of Lochiebank Place, Auchtermuchty, was given 200 hours of unpaid work and put on offender supervision for three years. He has done 75 hours of the work.
As he watched via videolink to prison, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he was remanded on May 14 in respect of a CPO review.
Defence lawyer Shona Westwood acknowledged his CPO review report is “awful” and has no excuse for the way he has behaved to social workers, not detailed in court.
The solicitor referred to the report in stating her client has been struggling with his mental health and has voices telling him to harm people.
Ms Westwood asked for Robinson’s liberation to investigate how his mental health is impacting his ability to do the CPO.
She said he has done 75 hours of the unpaid work.
Sheriff James Williamson told Robinson: “You were convicted of a serious assault, including kicking and stamping on someone’s head.
“Given your age at the time, you were given the opportunity to show you could comply with a CPO”.
“Other than one occasion seemingly, you have failed and the report is utterly unacceptable”.
The sheriff revoked the CPO and re-sentenced Robinson to 18 months in detention, backdated to when he was remanded.
Rollercoaster
A cocaine dealer caught after a homophobic attack in a Dundee bar has been ordered to perform the maximum number of unpaid work hours. Deano Foulis endured a rollercoaster sentencing hearing as he was placed in handcuffs in the dock before being released when a sheriff imposed a last-resort alternative to a jail term.
Crying biker
A teenage motorcyclist broke down in tears after being caught doing high-speed wheelies by police in an unmarked car.
Cameron Etienne was spotted by police, whizzing along pavements by Leslie Road on his off-road bike.
Fiscal depute Eve McKaig told Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court: “The motorbike drove at high speed, well in excess of the road speed.”
The 18-year-old was confronted by officers as he tried to store the bike in his grandmother’s garage.
Ms McKaig added: “The accused appeared sweaty and was upset and crying.”
Solicitor David Cranston, defending, said Etienne had long experience of riding bikes off-road.
He said: “He’s played on motorbikes all his years.
“He kept it at his gran’s house and he had been picked up in a van and went to a friend’s house but the van didn’t turn up to take him home.
“He didn’t want to leave it there unattended so he made the stupid decision to drive it home.”
Etienne, of Scott Road, Glenrothes admitted driving dangerously on January 19 this year and having no insurance.
Sheriff Robert More fined him £100 and disqualified him from driving for 12 months and until he sits the extended test.
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