Wednesday court round-up — 15 times the limit and dirty cash sentencing

A drug-driver was FIFTEEN times over the limit when he rolled his car in Arbroath.

William Douglas, 28, of Restenneth Drive in Forfar, was also twice the drink-drive limit.

At Forfar Sheriff Court to admit driving carelessly and with excess alcohol (44mics/ 22) and MDMA (150mics/ 10).

At 8.30pm on June 22 this year, he crashed on Addison Place in Arbroath, colliding with a parked car and clipping its wing mirror.

He hit a campervan and rolled his car, coming to rest upside down.

His solicitor Keith Sym said: “He’s not ever been the holder of a licence.

“He was not to be driving that night. He was prevailed on by his passenger to drive – he knew fine well he wasn’t fit to drive.

“He was at a party and consumed substances that were unknown to him.”

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis banned Douglas from driving and deferred sentencing until January 9 for background reports.

Relationship not sexual ruling

A church elder from Dundee who formed a clandestine relationship with a 13-year-old girl and asked her to call him Papa Bear has been placed on supervision. But a sheriff ruled Phillip Brierley’s intentions were not significantly sexual when he befriended the youngster while volunteering at Auchterarder Parish Church.

Off the wagon

A Crieff man who caught sitting in his car drinking rum and cider while more than five times the permitted alcohol limit has been banned from the road.

John Hewitt had sworn off alcohol for eight years, Perth Sheriff Court heard but he fell off the wagon when he was at a party with other people consuming alcohol and the temptation got too much.

The 60-year-old bought booze and drove off on his own to the Glen Turret reservoir car park, near Crieff.

He was spotted by a woman in a nearby camper van, who contacted police.

Fiscal depute Stephanie Paterson said officers attended at 9.40pm and found Hewitt in the driver’s seat with a bottle of rum and cider in the footwell.

There was an open can of cider between the gear stick and the driver’s seat.

“The accused was told to turn his engine off and wind down his window; however, he struggled to comply with these instructions.”

Hewitt, of Alligan Road, admitted being in charge of an Audi Avant with excess alcohol (117mics/ 22).

Hewas fined £600 and banned from driving for 22 weeks.

Attempted murder charge

Ryan Ogilvie, 36, has appeared in court accused of attempting to murder Michaela Pattie in Ballindean Road, Dundee by pushing her out of a window. Ogilvie allegedly seized Ms Pattie by the neck and choked her, before striking her on the head.

Dirty cash sentencing

A man caught exchanging £122,800 of dirty cash while under police surveillance in Dundee has been jailed for 16 months

James Jackson, 66, and co-accused Terry Williamson, 40, were watched by officers between September and December 2022.

Jackson, of Beith, North Ayrshire, drove to Dundee in a Volkswagen on October 13 2022 and was later joined by Williamson in a BMW, where a JD Sports bag was handed over.

Prosecutor Ross Canning told Glasgow Sheriff Court officers followed Jackson back to Glasgow where he was pulled over and the bag found, within which were seven fire-sealed bags of cash each containing between £8,000 and £39,940.

Jackson and Williamson pled guilty to acquiring and possessing £122,800 of criminal property.

Campbell Porter, defending Williamson, of Dundee, told the court his client was paid £200 to deliver the cash and “did not make any further inquiries.”

Bob Mitchell, defending Jackson, said his client worked in the car delivery trade at the time, which involved cash.

The lawyer said: “On this occasion he was asked to collect money and not a vehicle.

“The person who asked him to do this had previously asked him to deliver vehicles but on this occasion he went and collected money.

“He accepts that he had been suspicious.”

Sheriff Tony Kelly put Williamson under supervision for 18 months and he will be tagged for 11 months, keeping him indoors between 7pm and 7am.

Gangster jailed

A gangster from Dundee who used an encrypted chat app to deal with his Glaswegian drugs suppliers has been jailed for four years. Jonathan Wales, 37, relied on Encrochat to keep his involvement in the racket secret but was caught when Dutch and French law enforcement agencies cracked the network’s encryption.

Attacked after racism

A man was attacked and left with a broken hip after making a pest of himself in a Perthshire pub.

Alexander Sinclair got drunk and made vile racist slurs to a man at the Golf Inn, Auchterarder.

Perth Sheriff Court heard the 65-year-old had travelled to the area to find his brother, who he had not spoken to for some time.

Although he didn’t see his brother, he bumped into old schoolmates.

Fiscal depute Stuart Hamilton said things began to turn sour by about 6pm, after two hours of drinking.

“The accused was heavily under the influence of alcohol and was refused service.

“He became belligerent and repeatedly asked for a taxi.”

Sinclair told one man: “Oi pr**k, get me a taxi.”

He spoke to another man and told him he was going to give his wife a kiss.

“The wife said she didn’t kiss people she didn’t know,” said Mr Hamilton.

Sinclair replied: “Only blacks?… You won’t kiss me, but you will kiss a darkie?”

The court heard Sinclair left the pub a short time later and was attacked.

His lawyer said he suffered a broken hip and now has a metal rod running up his thigh.

“He thinks that his drink may have been spiked but there is nothing to prove that,” the solicitor said.

Sinclair, of Oxgangs Avenue, Edinburgh, apologised in court and was fined £225.

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