The trial of a man accused of stabbing two other men and assaulting a third in Kirkcaldy almost a year ago should go ahead next month, a court has been told.
Constantin Harcota, 33, denies behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at an address in Denend Crescent, Kirkcaldy, on March 25, 2020, by repeatedly threatening to cut others with a knife and threatening to commit murder whilst holding a knife.
Harcota has also pleaded not guilty to repeatedly striking two men with a knife to their severe injury and permanent disfigurement, and assaulting a third man by repeatedly punching him on the head on the same date.
Harcota, who was represented by solicitor Murray Aitken at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Tuesday, had been remanded in custody in connection with the alleged offences until a successful bail application in February.
Fiscal Ronnie Hay told the court that the whereabouts of three Crown witnesses, who prosecutors are keen to call to give evidence during Harcota’s trial, are currently unknown, with officers being instructed to make further enquiries.
The three are believed to have returned to Romania, and Mr Hay confirmed that an updated position on the location of those three witnesses had not been provided to the Crown ahead of the latest hearing.
On that basis, Mr Hay said prosecutors would not ask for a further pre-trial hearing to be fixed and would proceed with the trial on April 12 with the witnesses they are in contact with.
“These are the significant witnesses the Crown is in contact with – the others speak to surrounding facts,” Mr Hay continued.
Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist QC urged the Crown to ensure they were indeed fully prepared for trial on the date suggested, telling Mr Hay: “You better have a plan B if this case is going to be difficult to run.”
All parties agreed to fix the trial date for next month at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.