Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases.
Moray mum hopes Elgin man who raped her disabled son ‘rots in jail’
A Moray mum helped lock up her disabled son’s rapist after stumbling onto sick messages he secretly sent to the “pure soul” on his mobile.
Former Keith shop owner John Jessiman Barclay, who previously worked in social care, groomed his way into the lives of three vulnerable young males.
They were left emotionally scarred after he sexually abused them for years, starting more than a decade ago when he first preyed on a 14-year-old boy in Fochabers.
The 63-year-old monster was jailed for seven years and two months at the High Court in Edinburgh after he pled guilty to four charges of sexual offences including raping a young man with a mental disorder.
Terrified man jumped from balcony to escape drug-addled captors
A terrified man was forced to jump from a 2nd-floor veranda to escape drug-addled yobs who accused him of stealing a purse.
Dean Smart, 34, and Joanna Jones, 40, were taking drugs with the man at Jones’ address on Brough Place in Aberdeen when the fallout occurred.
The pair assaulted their victim and locked him in the address before Garry Black, 39, arrived, held a knife to his throat and stamped on his face.
Jail for Aberdeen carjacker who abducted driver and his niece
A man has been jailed after he hijacked a car at the side of the road before taking the driver and his niece on a high-speed police chase.
Craig Edgar appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted abducting the pair by getting into the driver’s seat of their vehicle when they had stopped the car to check on a potential puncture.
The 37-year-old, who appeared with another man, demanded a lift across Aberdeen before insisting he drive the car.
Two men in court after £32k cocaine and heroin bust near Alness
Two men have appeared in court after a police raid uncovered £32,000 worth of cocaine and heroin at a property near Alness.
Jason Jaffray, 41, and 29-year-old Haseeb Imran appeared in the dock during a private hearing at Inverness Sheriff Court last Wednesday.
Jaffray – a resident of the Ross and Cromarty area – and Imran, of Ilford, east London, each face two charges of being concerned in the supply of drugs.
Man found with heroin, cocaine and cash in Aberdeen flat avoids prison sentence
A man has avoided a prison sentence after police raided an Aberdeen flat and found him in possession of thousands of pounds of drugs and cash.
Adam Stone, 34, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs worth as much as £8,000.
A further stash of nearly £5,000 in cash was also found within the property, along with a mobile phone containing text messages that were indicative of drug dealing.
Westhill driver jailed for hit-and-run crash that killed ‘one-in-a-million’ grandfather
A speeding driver who fatally injured another motorist before fleeing from the crash scene was jailed for four years and four months today.
Connor Wilson failed to reduce his speed approaching a junction and collided with a vehicle being driven by Gabriel Lungu, who later died in hospital.
A judge told Wilson, 23, at the High Court in Edinburgh: “Only a custodial sentence is appropriate in this case.”
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Custody for Highland teen who drove over man’s legs with Transit van
A teenage motorist who drove a Transit van over a man’s legs has been sent to detention for 16 months.
Robert McLaren was also banned from driving for three years after he took off at speed, dragging George Williamson, who was still holding on to the door handle, along the road for 50 metres.
McLaren ignored Mr Williamson’s screams to stop as the van ran over his right leg, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
The 19-year-old then turned the vehicle around and ran over both of Mr Williamson’s ankles.
Woman sent voicemails to schoolgirl telling her to ‘dig her own grave’
An Aberdeen woman contacted a teenager on Snapchat who she believed was bullying another child and told her she was going to come to her home and violently assault her.
Jemma Simpson appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where she admitted making a series of terrifying threats to the 15-year-old girl on social media – including telling her she would have to “dig her own grave”.
The court heard Simpson, 29, added the child to a Snapchat group that included some of her school friends and warned them she was going to “smash” them one by one.
Carjacker threatened to shoot himself near Inverness toy store
A would-be carjacker was caught by police after he claimed to have a firearm near a city centre toy store.
Ellis Williams, 21, had contacted the emergency services and informed them he had a shotgun near Smyths Toys in Inverness and was planning to shoot himself with it.
But when officers went looking for Williams, they found him attempting to force a couple from their vehicle with a screwdriver.
Liverpool teen caught drug dealing in Inverness spared jail
A teenager from Liverpool who was caught dealing class A drugs in Inverness has been spared jail after a sheriff noted his “potential”.
Peter Dunn, 19, had previously admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine at an address in Esk Road, Hilton, and elsewhere.
He appeared before Sheriff Sara Matheson at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing.
Man held knife to wife’s face and asked her if she wanted to die
A man held a knife to his wife’s chin and asked her if she wanted to die after she refused to do the dishes, a court has heard.
Ricky Guillot, 51, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted charges related to the physical and mental abuse of his former wife between 2018 and 2023.
Guillot admitted assaulting the woman and shoving her out of his house during one argument at an address in Insch in May last year.
Man denies killing Aberdeen dad in alleged city centre attack
A man is to stand trial charged with killing a father-of-seven in a lane.
Derek Pearson, 46, allegedly attacked Steven Johnson in Aberdeen on March 12 2023.
It is alleged he ran at the 50-year-old and pinned him against a wall with his elbow in the city’s Carmelite Lane.
Jail for pensioner who sexually assaulted woman he met at Elgin bus stop
A pensioner who was ordered by a court to stay away from women he did not know sexually assaulted one he met at a bus stop.
James Farquhar breached the order to speak to the woman as they queued for the number 10 service at Elgin Bus Station.
After engaging her in conversation he touched her on the body, put his arm around her and kissed her on the neck, prompting her to tell him: “Do you mind? I don’t even know you!”
Farquhar, 71, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit sexual assault and breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) that was imposed following his release from a previous sentence for sexual assault.
Man back in prison after brutal Shetland murder bid
A thug who was once jailed for a school stabbing is back behind bars for trying to kill a man on Shetland.
Stephen Savage, 50, carried out a brutal knife attack on Ross Sutherland in Lerwick on September 17 2022.
Jurors heard how Mr Sutherland was getting the blame for £20 going missing at the property.
One witness described a “loud frenzy” as the victim desperately tried to protect himself.
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Highland poachers caught after parking outside police station
A pair of poachers landed in hot water after parking their car next to a Highland police station, a court has heard.
Richard Blackwood and Stephen Donnelly had no permits and were using spinning rods on Loch Garbet Beg and Rhiconich River, where only fly fishing is allowed.
The men, who are both 42, drew the attention of a local police officer when they parked outside the constabulary building, Tain Sheriff Court was told.
Unpaid work for man who hit ex-partner during fight with her father
A man who struck his ex-partner as she tried to break up a fight between him and her father has been ordered to complete unpaid work.
Jamie MacDonald, 42, had gone to speak the woman after his car windscreen was smashed by a child with a hammer.
But when he arrived at the Alness property her father stepped in. A stand-up fight ensued and the woman was hit as she tried to intervene.
MacDonald appeared at Tain Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted a charge of culpable and reckless conduct in relation to the incident on August 27 last year.
Foster carer accused of indecently assaulting three girls at locations around Aberdeenshire
A north-east foster carer has appeared in court accused of sex offences involving three teenage girls.
Alastair Legge, 51, is facing a series of charges that allege he indecently assaulted the girls at various locations and during car journeys around Aberdeenshire.
Legge’s accusers, now adults, were all under 16 during the period when they claim he touched their private parts and uttered sexual remarks.
One girl was 13 years old when she claims she was indecently touched by Legge.
Man who stabbed two children in Inverness facing length jail term
An armed attacker who wounded two teenagers at a canal footpath after he was freed on bail was warned today that he faced a lengthy jail sentence.
Max Roberts-Dineen, 35, encountered the girl and boy and assaulted both victims with a knife as they made their way along beside the Caledonian Canal, in Inverness.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that neither of the victims knew Roberts-Dineen before he launched the attacks on them on August 19 last year.
Carer denies ill-treating elderly patient at Highland care home
A care worker has denied allegations that she ill-treated an elderly resident at a Highland care home by crawling towards his bed and touching him on the face while he slept.
Shannon-Ashley Anderson has pled not guilty to a single charge, which also alleges she recorded the 79-year-old resident repeatedly on her mobile phone and failed to provide him with assistance when he needed it.
The charge, which is denied, also alleges that Anderson threatened the pensioner and pinched him on the head at the Fodderty House care home, Dingwall.
Drink-driving psoriasis sufferer who took car to get skin cream was four times the limit
An Aberdeen man has been banned from the roads after police found him driving to buy skin cream while more than four times the drink-drive limit.
Rafal Rutkowski, 36, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted being over the legal limit to drive on Great Northern Road after police caught him overtaking a bus on a blind bend.
His solicitor told the court that Rutkowski suffered from a serious skin condition which had badly flared up that evening.
Man on dangerous driving charge following Kessock Bridge incident
A man has appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court charged with dangerous driving, driving with excess alcohol, assault and threatening or abusive behaviour.
Slawomir Stiller, 49, from Szczecin in Poland, appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court before Sheriff Sara Matheson.
He made no plea, was committed for further examination and remanded in custody to appear again within the next eight days.
Sheriff rules Aberdeen man’s death in police custody ‘likely’ avoidable
“Institutional failures” caused Police Scotland to miss opportunities that could have prevented a young Aberdeen man’s death in custody, a fatal accident inquiry has finally concluded.
Warren Fenty, 20, suffered a fatal methadone intoxication while locked up in a jail cell inside Kittybrewster custody suite at 7.25am on June 29 2014.
He’d earlier been arrested at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after discharging himself from hospital against the advice of a doctor who had treated his overdose.
The twists, turns and tears in Scotland’s longest-ever police custody death inquiry
No one would believe it could take nearly a decade to give answers to a grieving mum about her son’s tragic death in an Aberdeen jail cell at Kittybrewster police station, but it has.
Even after Aberdeen Sheriff Court finished hearing the last evidence on Warren Fenty’s final moments, more than two years would pass before a sheriff published the case’s conclusions.
Warren died of a drug overdose in June 2014.
Police custody death probe ‘fails to deliver justice’ for grieving mum
An Aberdeen mum slammed authorities for making her wait almost a decade for a long-overdue report into her son’s police custody death, accusing an inquiry of failing to deliver closure or justice.
Sharon Fenty, 54, told The Press and Journal that she hasn’t been able to grieve since her 20-year-old son Warren died alone in a Kittybrewster police station cell in 2014.
She also told The P&J that, after reading the findings of Warren’s fatal accident inquiry (FAI), she holds Police Scotland responsible for allowing him to succumb to a methadone overdose.
Inverness man accused of ‘breach of the peace’ standoff with armed police
A man has appeared in court accused of breaching the peace during an alleged standoff with armed officers at a property in Inverness.
Allan Craig, from the city, appeared in private at the Highland capital’s sheriff court on Friday.
The 56-year-old faced one charge of a breach of the peace and made no plea before his case was committed for further examination.
Craig was remanded in custody until he re-appears in the dock within the next eight days.
Police, firefighters and paramedics were called to Kenneth Street before midday on Thursday.
Former Aberdeen restaurant boss jailed for policewoman’s murder
A former Aberdeen restaurant boss behind the murder of a policewoman who was shot dead during an armed robbery has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years.
Piran Ditta Khan, 75, fled the UK after the death of PC Sharon Beshenivsky, 38, but was eventually put on trial two decades later after being extradited from Pakistan.
He planned the raid that killed the constable and severely wounded her colleague PC Teresa Milburn, a jury at Leeds Crown Court was told.
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