Latest news with #InvernessSheriffCourt
Press and Journal
23-06-2025
- Press and Journal
Pet ban for Highland man who kept animals in 'appalling' conditions
A man has been banned from keeping pets for four years after seven animals were rescued from the 'almost inconceivable' conditions of his filthy home. Scott Trist, 35, neglected four dogs, a hedgehog, a snake, and a fish, Inverness Sheriff Court was told. Animal welfare charity the Scottish SPCA discovered an underfed 7ft boa constrictor in Trist's dog faeces-covered home. A catfish that Trist mistakenly thought was dead at the time but was actually alive lay in an empty fish tank. SSPCA inspectors uncovered the concerns at the property on Thain Road, Whitebridge, near Inverness, during a visit on April 26 last year, following a complaint from a member of the public. The court heard that, at first, Trist had refused the inspectors access to his home but eventually agreed to let them in. An African pygmy hedgehog was rescued from another tank that contained no lighting, heating, or food, and the animal had eye and leg injuries. 'These are appalling conditions,' Sheriff Gary Aitken commented, with Trist's defence lawyer, Duncan Henderson, agreeing. However, Mr Henderson asked Sheriff Aitken to treat his client's case as 'neglect and not active cruelty'. Mr Henderson added: 'He is struggling with his mental health, but the conditions should have been painfully obvious to him.' The lawyer representing the offender confirmed that there were no other animals in Trist's house, but said he drove his partner's three horses in a horsebox. Mr Henderson asked that any animal ban slapped on his client not be applied to transporting the horses, adding there were no concerns about their welfare. Trist pled guilty to three charges. They included: Trist, who now lives in Fichty, Farr, was ordered to carry out 210 hours of unpaid work in the community. 'It is almost inconceivable that anyone could live in conditions like this, let alone keep entirely dependent animals in these conditions and not realise anything was grossly wrong,' the sheriff told the offender. He was also given a stern warning that he would be jailed if he failed to complete the hours. 'You are very close to a prison sentence where you would be kept in a cage, except you would be fed and it kept clean,' Sheriff Aitken explained. 'If you were confined, then you would be kept in significantly better conditions than your animals.' Trist was also banned from keeping, caring for, or owning any animal for the next four years. However, he was allowed to continue transporting the horses. Reacting to the sentencing, an SSPCA spokesperson said Trist's case was an example of the 'severe consequences' of animal neglect. They added that during their search of Trist's property last year, inspectors found one of the dogs, a six-month-old puppy named Sadie, so frightened that she was 'desperately' attempting to hide. 'Upon entering the living room, we were met with overwhelming evidence of neglect,' they said. Since the visit, all of Trist's animals have been rehomed. 'We are relieved these animals are now safe and are now in the homes they deserve, ' the spokesperson added.
Press and Journal
08-06-2025
- Press and Journal
Weekend court roll – Inverness murder accused and 'Michael Jackson' in court
Our reporters have been sitting in courtrooms across the north and north-east this week and covered a wide variety of cases. A repeat Aberdeen offender who was seen brandishing a knife in public has been warned by a sheriff that he will be jailed if he comes before him again. Kyle Donald appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted charges related to waving a blade around outside a woman's property in the Woodside area of the city this spring. Donald, 28, also admitted uttering homophobic slurs towards police officers during a separate incident in 2023. His solicitor told the court that Donald had pulled out the knife in self defence after two strangers walked into a flat where he was taking drugs and 'all hell broke loose'. An Elgin man who offered one underage girl cash for sex and another victim images of himself in nappies has been spared jail. Alex Bruce, 21, contacted his first victim, who was aged just 14, in the spring of 2023. He flattered her with compliments before offering her money to visit his home and have sex with him. Bruce went onto target a second girl, sending her videos of him shopping for nappies – and wearing them. A 30-year-old man has appeared in court accused of stabbing his mother to death in Inverness. Thomas Fraser is also accused of attempting to murder his father during the incident in the Merkinch area of the city on Sunday, June 1. Fraser's 55-year-old father, Ian, and his mother, Miriam Macdonald, 51, were taken to Raigmore Hospital with serious injuries but Mrs Macdonald later died. It is understood that Mr Macdonald is still in intensive care, but his condition has not been officially disclosed. n Aberdeen mum who sped off during a traffic stop and dragged two police officers along the road has been jailed for 18 months. Lauren Baird wept from the dock as Inverness Sheriff Court heard how she put the male and female officers' lives at risk during the incident in Aviemore. Baird, 43, had already given false information to the officers when they questioned her about why her car wasn't insured. But instead of coming clean, the mum – who also has links to Fraserburgh – put her foot down and tore off. A sheriff in Inverness has warned of the 'epidemic' of online sexual offending affecting society as she passed sentence on a Buckie paedophile. Sheriff Sara Matheson told 73-year-old Duncan Moir: 'Men need to take a long hard look at themselves.' Moir, who was snared by an online decoy posing as a 14-year-old girl, previously admitted a single charge of attempting to communicate indecently with a child. An earlier hearing heard how Moir believed he was talking to a teen called Molly on Facebook when he sent messages that explicitly detailed sexual acts. A convicted domestic abuser who raped a drunk teenage girl at an Inverness guest house has been jailed. Cameron Huggins, 22, raped his victim whilst she was incapable of consenting to sex because of the effects of alcohol, a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh heard. He locked the door of the room and forcibly pulled down a pair of trousers she was wearing before removing her 'lower clothing' and seizing her arm. He then restrained her before raping her by having sex without her consent. A youth who attacked a 15-year-old boy with a machete in Elgin has avoided being locked up after a court was told he had 'been bullied all his life'. The accused, who is now aged 17, had been punched in the face by his younger victim during the confrontation on Elgin's High Street last November. Inverness Sheriff Court heard that he had been surrounded by a group of youngsters, including the victim, and had been assaulted by the same boy some days earlier. His lawyer said he used the blade 'as a last resort'. Every day our reporters are sitting in courtrooms around the area and now you can get their stories sent directly to you, five days a week. A man caught drug-driving on the A9 was planning to complete the North Coast 500, a court has been told. Sameer Chaudhry, from north Wales, was attempting the popular tourist road trip when his silver BMW was stopped by police near Golspie. He failed a roadside drugs test, and subsequent blood testing revealed he was over the legal limit for a cocaine derivative. Chaudhry, 27, appeared at Tain Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of drug driving on March 12 2023. A man who turned up at an Aberdeen hospital to borrow money from his mum threatened to kill a nurse when he wasn't given the amount he expected. David Prystajko, 44, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, where he admitted behaving in a threatening manner towards busy hospital staff as they tried to care for patients earlier this year. Prystajko appeared outside a ward at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and asked staff to retrieve money from his sick mother. When they handed over £25, Prystajko flew into a rage, demanding more money and telling one nurse he was going to 'send bad people' to kill her. An oil worker from Fraserburgh has been found guilty of two rapes as well as an almost 40-year campaign of domestic abuse against four different women. Dennis Forrest, 60, faced a host of charges at the High Court in Aberdeen relating to incidents spanning the years 1985 to 2022. It included assaulting them physically, demanding his victims cut off contact with other people and, for one woman, sending her employer an intimate photograph in an attempt to get her sacked. In another disturbing example of Forrest's controlling behaviour, the court was told how he lied to bosses while offshore by telling them his grandmother had died so he could get helicoptered home to confront a woman because he learned she had been seeing family members behind his back. A man who was 'mercilessly' bullied because he shares the same name as The King of Pop has appeared in court after he threatened to kill one of his tormentors. Michael Jackson, 46, finally snapped after 'many months' of people teasing him with impressions of the late singer and confronted one of his alleged bullies in the pub after a night of drinking. Inverness Sheriff Court was told Jackson, from Kyle, told the man: 'I will f****** tear you apart' and police were called. Fiscal depute Victoria Silver told Sheriff Elidh Macdonald that Jackson, of Balmacara Road, was intoxicated in a local hotel on the evening of December 3 2023 when one of his alleged tormenters, William Fulton, came in. A Moray man who tried to throttle his partner and kicked and punched her unconscious during a three-year campaign of violent domestic abuse has been jailed for two years. Ben Brown, 42, also pushed the woman's body against broken glass and gave her an overdose of her medication, putting her life in danger. Inverness Sheriff Court was told his behaviour had a 'profound' effect on his victim. A jury had been told last month that Brown would consistently shout, swear and act aggressively towards his victim. Former Aberdeen FC player Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has been jailed for four years for his involvement in a £600,000 drug smuggling plot after a court heard his financial difficulties after a period out of contract led to a 'catastrophic error of judgment'. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas was arrested after officers from the National Crime Agency seized an estimated £600,000 of cannabis as it was being brought through Stansted Airport by two women he had recruited – his girlfriend and her friend. An earlier hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court in Essex was told the women believed they were importing gold. But Border Force officers detected roughly 60kg (132lb) of the drug in two suitcases, which had arrived in the UK from Bangkok, Thailand, via Dubai. Every day our reporters are sitting in courtrooms around the area and now you can get their stories sent directly to you, five days a week. A man who was emotionally and physically abusive to four young children has been ordered to carry out unpaid work. Colin Dick, 56, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court for sentencing after he admitted historic physical assaults on four girls – with one of them left with permanent disfigurement after he tried to lock her in a cupboard. The court heard some of the girls were as young as four when the assaults started and carried on until they were teenagers. Dick's defence lawyer – who he subsequently fired – described him as 'full of remorse' for his actions over nearly two decades. An Alness man has been placed on supervision after being convicted of a sexual assault. Robert Williamson appeared at Tain Sheriff Court for sentencing after being found guilty of the charge as well as one of threatening behaviour at trial. Williamson had denied both the charges, the first of which details how he uttered sexual remarks towards his victim on Alness' High Street on September 1 last year The second charge details how Williamson sexually assaulted the same woman on the same day by repeatedly seizing hold of her body and pulling her towards him. A man who assaulted his partner's ex, leaving him with fractures and bruising, is 'ashamed of himself' for the 'heat of the moment' crime. James Potter fought with the man, repeatedly punching him in the head and body, and pushing him to the ground. He also pushed his victim against railings and pinned him against trolleys during the incident at Morrisons supermarket in Millburn Road, Inverness. Potter, 30, appeared for sentencing at Inverness Sheriff Court having previously admitted the assault under provocation. A rapist who attacked a woman in her own Peterhead home four times over 90 minutes has been caged for eight years. Giedrius Urbonavicius, from Lithuania, was convicted by majority verdict following a week-long trial at the High Court in Aberdeen two months ago. The 54-year-old, who still maintains his innocence, will now be on the sex offenders register indefinitely and faces another three years of being on licence when he is eventually released back into the community. He was sentenced for the crime at the High Court in Aberdeen on Wednesday. An Inverness teenager has been given the opportunity to change her criminal behaviour to avoid going to jail. Rebecca Tuthill, 19, appeared by video link from HMP Stirling at Elgin Sheriff Court on Thursday for sentencing after admitting to a series of charges involving threatening and abusive behaviour, breaching her bail conditions, and even attacking two police constables. Sheriff Robert Frazer, overseeing the case, said she now needed to prove she could 'change'. The court heard from Tuthill's defence solicitor, Shahid Latif, that she had so far spent three weeks behind bars waiting to be sentenced and that it had been an eye-opening experience. A serial shoplifter who assaulted a store worker with cheese has been spared jail. Leigh Anne Ryan also twice made knife threats to shop workers who were attempting to disrupt her behaviour. The court heard she had stolen from a number of stores in Inverness, taking food, alcohol, fragrances and cosmetics. Ryan, 32, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to be sentenced having previously admitted three counts of theft by shoplifting, two of assaulting retail workers, one of threatening behaviour and one of breaching a bail condition to stay away from a certain store.
Press and Journal
28-05-2025
- Press and Journal
Dangerous Drumnadrochit dog's owner loses appeal against conviction
A woman who claimed her German Shepherd was a 'good-natured' pet after it bit a delivery driver has lost a bid to overturn her conviction. Janet MacFarlane's canine, Diego, attacked the worker through a gap in the gate of her home in Drumnadrochit, on April 14 2023. Inverness Sheriff Court heard how the man needed stitches after the incident. She was charged with having a dog dangerously out of control following proceedings in September 2024. Sheriff Sara Matheson ordered Diego to be muzzled and kept on a lead and muzzled when in a public place – she also ordered MacFarlane to pay Diego's victim £600. The conviction prompted MacFarlane's legal team to go to the Sheriff Appeal Court in Edinburgh, where they argued that the judge failed to follow the correct legal tests in her decision to convict MacFarlane. The Sheriff Appeal Court heard that if Sheriff Matheson had followed the correct interpretation of the law, MacFarlane would have been acquitted. But in a written judgement issued by the court on Wednesday, Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar KC, rejected defence arguments and upheld the conviction. Sheriff Principal Anwar, who sat with colleagues Appeal Sheriff Iain Fleming and Appeal Sheriff David Young KC, said their colleague had acted correctly. She added: 'We shall… refuse the appeal.' During proceedings, the delivery driver, who wasn't named in the judgement, told the court that when he arrived at the property the dog was initially called away by MacFarlane's husband. He said he did not notice the dog returning as he passed the parcel over to MacFarlane – but it was at this point that he was bitten through a gap in the gate. In evidence, the man recalled: 'I said to the lady: 'Your dog had just bitten me and she shrugged and walked away.'' The court heard that the entrance to MacFarlane's property featured three signs warning visitors about the four-legged residents, including one that said: 'Beware of the dog, it may bite, you have been warned.' She said six-year-old Diego was a 'beautiful, good-natured dog' who had 'never bitten anybody'. 'He is a more laying on his back with his belly getting tickled kind of dog,' she added. MacFarlane confirmed she had installed wire to block the gaps in the fence since the incident.
Press and Journal
23-05-2025
- Press and Journal
Lorry driver jailed after hitting charity cyclist on the A9
An HGV driver has been jailed after he hit a Land's End to John O'Groats charity cyclist on the A9, leaving him seriously injured. James McTaggart failed to spot James Baker as he drove north on the trunk road between Dunkeld and Pitlochry. Dashcam footage from his lorry was played to Inverness Sheriff Court and showed the moment he collided with Mr Baker's bicycle in the early hours of the morning. The court was told that later the same day, McTaggart tested positive for cocaine in a roadside drugs test – but it could not be conclusively proven he had been under the influence at the time of the collision. Mr Baker, from Cheshire, had been taking part in a charity cycle ride to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis along with three other friends. McTaggart, 33, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court, where he admitted charges of causing serious injury by careless driving and drug-driving. Fiscal depute Victoria Silver explained that the cyclists were travelling in convoy with support vehicles to the front and rear, connected by radio. 'One was supposed to drive ahead, another to the rear, to offer some protection to them on the road,' Ms Silver said. But at around 2.15am, on the dark and drizzly morning of July 9 2023, the convoy had pulled into a layby North of Blair Atholl for a rider change before Mr Baker set off on his portion of the ride. 'There was a cycle path to the side, however decision was made that the charity cycle would remain on the A9,' the fiscal depute explained. She said the cyclist was wearing a light blue jersey and gilet and had working lights on his bike. Witnesses stated that 'as he set off, there were no other vehicles on the road'. The driver of the support vehicle estimated that it took around 40 seconds between the rider and the rear support vehicle leaving the layby. In this time a car and a lorry passed. Around this time, another driver spotted a torch waving in the road and a stationary lorry. He stopped and spoke to McTaggart, who told him: 'I've clipped a cyclist.' 'The driver observed a person lying in the road in the northbound carriageway,' the fiscal depute said. When the support van also arrived at the scene, alerted by the flashing hazard lights ahead, McTaggart, who was shaking, told the driver: 'I didn't see him – I just didn't see him.' The court was played dashcam footage taken from the cab of McTaggart's lorry, which showed a car passing him and another approaching with its headlights appearing to flash, as well as the smaller light of Mr Baker's cycle on the left-hand side. The footage shows the lorry bearing down on the bicycle, not appearing to adjust its speed in the moments before the collision. Police and ambulance attended at the scene and Mr Baker was taken to Raigmore Hospital where it was confirmed he had suffered a number of broken bones, including ribs, clavicle and vertebra. He also suffered internal injuries. McTaggart gave a positive breath test at the scene, but officers who attended were not trained in the drug wipe procedure. He was traced by trained officers later that morning, in his parked lorry near Moy. At this stage, a roadside test came back positive for cocaine and later blood testing revealed him to have 250 microgrammes of the cocaine metabolite benzolecgonine per litre of blood – five times the legal limit of 50 microgrammes. Solicitor Kevin Hughes, for McTaggart, told the court that his client had taken the drugs, which were left over from recreational use days prior to the incident, after the collision. Speaking about the careless driving charge, Mr Hughes said: 'Very unfortunately there was a cycle path running the length of the road, for some reason, the decision was taken to use the road 'The rear support vehicle was not in place. 'He failed to see the rider. 'It was dark at the time – he wasn't wearing a reflective jacket.' 'He was driving the vehicle, he believed he was paying attention to the road, he simply failed to see him.' Responding to a suggestion that McTaggart had sought to blame his victim during the preparation of a presentencing report, Mr Hughes said: 'He just would have expected the person to be using the cycle lane rather than the A9. 'Because he didn't see him, he would have expected him to be more visible than he was.' 'He has accepted that it is his responsibility to see obstructions in the roadway – no matter what they are,' Mr Hughes added Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told McTaggart, of Dovecot Road, Tullibody: 'I have taken time to digest the Crown narrative and I have viewed – on several occasions – the footage which effectively captures the collision. 'I remain very sceptical of your explanation, but it would be wrong for me to conclude as a fact that the level of benzolecgonine at the time of the accident exceeded the prescribed limit. 'It is a matter of fact that you failed to observe the cyclist prior to colliding with him. 'The real issue is the degree of carelessness.' Sheriff Cruickshank said: 'It is difficult to comprehend how you failed to see the cyclist in sufficient time to take the necessary evasive action.' Assessing McTaggart's culpability as high, he said: 'I consider that there is no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.' He jailed McTaggart for eight months and banned him from the roads for 23 months.
Press and Journal
21-05-2025
- Press and Journal
Moray Snapchat pervert caught sending indecent pictures to children for second time
A Moray man who once claimed it was a 'drunken mistake' when he sent a 13-year-old girl photographs of his private parts has appeared in court after he committed the same offence for a second time. Callum Bowie, 23, was convicted of communicating indecently with a child in 2022 after sending the photos and video to the child over Snapchat. His solicitor at the time argued that Bowie's actions were a 'drunken mistake' and there was 'no risk' that would require him to be added to the sex offenders register. 'I am quite confident we will not see him in court again,' the solicitor added. However, less than a year after that court appearance, Bowie was back on Snapchat and communicating indecently with what he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Bowie – who admitted the offence – was still being monitored by police and had given officers his Snapchat profile name and phone number. Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank that apart from the indecent messages, Bowie also sent several images of an erect penis between July 13 and 26 2023. The 14-year-old girl was, in fact, an undercover police officer. Sentence was deferred until July 1 for a background report and for the court to consider the imposition of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Bowie, of Green Street, Rothes, was again placed on the sex offenders register.
