A hooded 18-year-old took a knife to a Dunfermline house and made a violent threat.
Callum Beautyman, who was part of a mob attack on a teenage Raith Rovers fan at a Dunfermline bus stop last January, returned to the city’s sheriff court to be sentenced for more recent offending.
He admitted that on May 9 this year at an address in Lauder Street he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, banging the door, holding a knife and making a threat of violence.
Beautyman, of Dunfermline, admitted a second offence of having a knife in public without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.
Prosecutor Eve McKaig said police carrying out enquiries into a separate incident noticed Beautyman making his way to the address at around 6.20pm.
“Officers noticed he was shouting down the street while concealing his face with a snood and he had a hood over his head.”
He went into a garden, out of sight, but they heard him banging and shouting and when they investigated, saw him yelling at a man inside the property.
He had a black-handled kitchen knife with a 6-inch blade, which he quickly threw away when he saw the officers.
He was handcuffed and taken to the ground and continuously shouted at police, using phrases such as “f**k you, piggy ba***rds” and “I will f***ing smash yous”.
Defence lawyer Amy Harley said Beautyman was heavily intoxicated and in a vulnerable state and highlighted a letter from Beautyman’s mother which “contains personal and sensitive information but gives important context” about his background.
Ms Harley said Beautyman is trying to address the issues leading to his offending behaviour and is engaging with drug and alcohol support services and no longer uses illicit substances.
Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane said: “You are 18 and have got your while life ahead of you.
“You have a family supporting you, which a lot of people don’t have at your age, and have career prospects and have started to take steps to address issues. That’s all positive”.
The sheriff gave Beautyman a six-month structured deferred sentence.
Cafe boss sentenced
A predatory cafe supervisor from Pitlochry whose appalling actions drove a young employee to the brink of suicide and forced the collapse of the Pancake Place chain has been sentenced. Glen Buchanan preyed on four young co-workers at Pitlochry’s Cafe Biba, which was later rebranded.
Birthday theft
A thief who stole a quad bike from an Angus farm to bankroll his daughter’s birthday has been jailed.
Gary Ledger, of Auchmithie, previously admitted stealing the £6,300 ATV from Kirkton of Kingoldrum Farm near Kirriemuir while acting with another on May 15 last year.
The uninsured bike has never been recovered.
The 39-year-old returned to Forfar Sheriff Court with a bag prepared for imprisonment.
His solicitor Kyle Short said: “Mr Ledger does understand that he’s left the court very little option here.
“Mr Ledger regrets his decision. He had been using illicit substances at the time.”
Sheriff Mark Thorley jailed Ledger for 18 months and labelled the thief’s criminal record “truly appalling.”
He said: “He and his co-accused were in a car looking for something to steal to then sell it to buy a birthday present for his daughter.
“The reason, going out and about in Angus to steal a motor vehicle in order to find your daughter’s birthday, is simply unacceptable.
“There’s absolutely no doubt there can be only one disposal here which is a period in custody.”
Test drive thief jailed
A notorious car thief who stole vehicles during test drives across Tayside and Fife has been jailed. Connor Davidson, who claimed he was homeless and sleeping in the stolen motors, would contact sellers online, start the cars and motorbikes while inspecting them and then blitz off from the scene.
Leaving prison with ‘clean slate’
An Angus throat-slasher currently serving a nine-year prison sentence for a murder attempt has been jailed again for clubbing a charity shop worker over the head with a crutch.
Steven Clarke was convicted of the vicious assault by a jury at the High Court in Dundee.
He appeared via a video link from prison at Forfar Sheriff Court to be sentenced for outstanding matters.
He admitted that on June 26 last year, he acted in a threatening or abusive manner and assaulted two retail workers at the A Helping Hand Too charity shop in Arbroath.
Clarke shouted, swore and attempted to strike a male worker on the head and punched a female worker on the head before striking her with the crutch.
The 47-year-old also admitted resisting police who attended his home six weeks before his High Court trial.
He repeatedly lashed out with his arms and legs and struggled violently with two PCs on April 7 this year.
Clarke, formerly of Brechin Road in Montrose, was sentenced to four months imprisonment to be served concurrently for his conduct at the charity shop and another two months, also concurrent, for his offending towards police.
Last month, Clarke was given a concurrent prison sentence for abusive behaviour at Ninewells.
Solicitor Billy Rennie said: “This appears to clear up all of his outstanding matters.”
Sentencing Clarke, Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown said the disposals would allow Clarke to “come out with a clean slate”.
Bogus cop
Bogus police officer Jamie Meager tailed a motorist and reprimanded him for his driving after following another driver along several streets in Crieff. He approached his vehicle and told him: “I’m following you because I am police.”
Keyed car
A Glenrothes woman who keyed a car and caused £2,000 worth of damage amid a neighbour dispute has been told do unpaid work.
Amanda Swindells, 51, of Torridon Place, appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to two charges.
She vandalised a Ford Fiesta by scratching its paintwork and behaved in a threatening or abusive manner on May 31 this year.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith told the court Swindells was seen at around 8.40am using a key to damage paintwork and “briefly stopped and stared” at a female witness before continuing to walk around the vehicle, scratching the paintwork.
Swindells’ defence lawyer said there is background of an ongoing dispute between neighbours.
She said a social work report detailed health concerns which could offer some explanation for her client’s behaviours.
Sheriff James Williamson gave Swindells 120 hours of unpaid work and put her under offender supervision for a year.
The sheriff pointed out it is the second time Swindells has been on a community payback order and warned the next time may result in a non-community based order.
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