Today’s Dundee edition of The Courier leads with a story about a family left “devastated” as a hit-and-run driver walked free from court.
Fife cyclist Scott Walker was killed in the incident on July 8 2019.
‘Justice has not been done’
His family has said “justice has not been done” after Dundee pensioner Ian McFarlane drove off after striking 43-year old Mr Walker.
McFarlane was given an unpaid work order instead of prison time.
Another tale from a Tayside courtroom on the front of the Perth edition of the paper today as well.
A motorist dragged a police officer across tarmac, before ploughing his vehicle into a patrol car at the end of a bizarre low-speed chase through rural Perthshire.
‘Panicked’
Robert McPherson “panicked” when police gave him a friendly warning about using his phone behind the wheel and took off through a red light.
The 35-year-old refused to stop as he motored 15 miles through villages, with three police cars hot on his tail, but at no point broke the speed limit.
When his Ford Ka eventually came to a halt in the centre of Crieff, PC Connor Lees opened his passenger door and ordered him to stop.
Rammed police car
McPherson told him: “You can’t be here,” before pressing the accelerator and ramming into a police car blocking his path.
Panicking driver led police on 15-mile chase through Perthshire and dragged officer with car
It’s not all doom-and-gloom in our Tayside titles – particularly gloom in the case of today’s Evening Telegraph – leading with the great news for many; that a mini heatwave is en route this weekend.
The weather looks to improve with the mercury set to rise after one of the coldest Mays on record.
As warm as Rome
Met Office weather forecasters have predicted a dry and warm weekend, with temperatures reaching 20C or above.
Sunday will be the warmest day, according to the forecast, with some parts of Scotland set to be as warm as the Italian capital of Rome.
Perth and Kinross could see the temperature rise above 20C in the afternoon, with similar temperatures expected in Fife and Dundee.
‘Heatwave’ in Tayside and Fife this weekend with temperatures as warm as Rome
Heading north, in both the Aberdeenshire and North editions of The Press and Journal, a Dutch court ordering oil industry giant Shell to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030 has made front-page news.
A group of non-government organisations (NGOs) and 17,000 Dutch residents brought the case to court.
Shell likely to appeal ruling
The judge found that Shell and its worldwide subsidiaries had a duty to cut emissions. The court rejected the idea that if Shell did not produce the hydrocarbons someone else would.
Shell is likely to appeal the ruling. The company has set out plans to be net-zero by 2050. It had planned to cut emissions by 20% by 2030 and 45% by 2035.
Scottish national news
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is likely to do a deal with the Scottish Greens to steer Holyrood through its next parliamentary term, reports The Glasgow Herald this morning.
While not being a full coalition, a “co-operation agreement” could lead to Green Party Ministers in the Scottish Government, despite the party winning no constituency seats in the election on May 6.
Long-term allies
Ms Sturgeon called the agreement “potentially groundbreaking” and stressed, “we are setting no limits on our ambition”.
The Greens have been long-term allies of the SNP in the Scottish Parliament, with both parties sharing common ground in supporting Scottish independence.
Ms Sturgeon and Green leader Patrick Harvie are expected to have detailed talks over the coming days.
Thursday's front page of The Herald.
– Nicola Sturgeon has revealed
her SNP Government is holding
talks with the Scottish Greens over a possible “formal co-operation agreement”.#TomorrowsPapersToday#scotpapers#BuyAPaper & subscribe: https://t.co/Ms01UHC8R6 pic.twitter.com/3NBaFrtdbb— The Herald (@heraldscotland) May 27, 2021
Cummings’ revenge dominates UK news
The UK press has gone heavy on the discontent in the Conservative Party, with the Daily Mail describing former Downing Street aide Dominic Cummings’ revelations about Boris Johnson as “toxic revenge”.
Mr Cummings gave evidence in Westminster yesterday, where he claimed “tens of thousands” of people died needlessly due to the prime minister’s actions during the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Unfit to lead the country’
He also claimed Mr Johnson was unfit to lead the country.
And, in one of the more surreal bits of evidence, he claimed the PM’s fiancee Carrie Symonds occupied Mr Johnson’s attention at a crucial stage of the pandemic in March 2020 by ‘going completely crackers’ over a story in the press about their dog Dilyn.
DAILY MAIL: Domshell #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/XlCuDKVfkp
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) May 26, 2021