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View Full Version : Cases from today's sheriff court session



Nwicker60
05-Aug-11, 15:27
Wick sheriff’s concern at recurring assaults at nightclub in Thurso

A SHERIFF, dealing with an assault at a Thurso nightclub, expressed concern about the recurring incidents there.
Sheriff Andrew made his comments after sentencing Mark Cannop (22) for the assault at Skinandis and said: “It would appear that these premises are repeatedly a location for matters of violence, within and outwith the premises. We seem to be getting a lot of cases.”
Cannop, of Trostan Terrace, Thurso, admitted the assault on Mark Mackenzie, inside the club, early on May 1.
The court was told that Mr Mackenzie was dancing with the accused’s girlfriend, or at least, someone he knew well. Senior fiscal depute, David Barclay, said that Cannop went up to him and punched him, causing him to fall to the floor where he continued to hit him.
Mr Mackenzie had a sore head and was taken to hospital for a check-up. Nothing untoward was found. When seen by the police, Cannop indicated that he had been drinking and had consumed six lagers and four nips, during the evening.
Mr Barclay continued: “He described Mr Mackenzie has ‘ having his hands all over’ the woman he was dancing with. The accused was not pleased and asked him to leave, but then lost control.”
The senior fiscal depute reminded the sheriff that he was entitled to consider imposing an exclusion order on Cannop from entering the premises, but the accused’s solicitor, Neil Wilson, questioned whether this would be appropriate.
Mr Wilson argued that such an order was normally imposed on someone with a history of problems in licensed premises and Cannop did not fall into that category.
The solicitor went on to stress that the accused was a first offender and his actions had been “totally out of character”.
Sheriff Berry said he took account of the points but he required to bring home to the accused the gravity of his drink-fuelled violence and imposed a 60 hours community pay back order.
In addition he banned Cannop from the nightclub for a year.

Racially abused police

Kyle O’ Neil (21) was sentenced to six months detention after he admitted racially abusing police officers and assaulting one of them.
The offences occurred at John O’ Groats, on July 7, this year. Sheriff Berry commented: “This was a persistent, prolonged situation, which was serious and unpleasant.”
O’Neil’s address was given as Tontine Park, Renton, Dumbartonshire.

Sheriff warns accused about his behaviour

A WICK man, who denied threatening his former partner, was warned to behave himself when he returned to court for his trial.
Sheriff Berry took Roddy Aitken (26) to task before he left the dock, saying that he had observed the accused, prior to his case being called, fidgeting, going from seat to seat in the public benches, going in and out of the court, and laughing.
The sheriff told him: “If you had behaved like that in a cinema, you would have been banned for life. This is not a comedy show. One option open to me is to remand you in custody, meantime, and I can still do that.”
Aitken, who is living in Leith Walk, Wick, denies having behaved in an abusive or threatening manner towards his former partner, Nikita Bremner, at her home in the town, and repeatedly sending her text messages, threatening to kill her and damage her house.
His trial was fixed for September 2.

Fined for ‘miserable’ offence

A YOUNG man who admitted having twice vandalised cars in Wick was fined £450.
Scaffolder Robin Sutherland, of Kirkside, Alness, admitted the offences which occurred in Nicolson Street, Wick, on March 4.
The court was told that he first damaged the wing mirror of a Metro and did likewise to a Skoda.
The sheriff, who was told that Sutherland (23) had made good the damage, described the accused’s actions as “a miserable sort of offence inflicted on parked cars by people like you.”

Over the limit

A SELF-EMPLOYED tree surgeon was fined £300 and banned from driving for a year after he admitted driving with excess alcohol in Wick on July 24.
Timothy Taylor, who pleaded guilty, was stopped in South Road, by police, initially, in connection with a manoeuvre he had performed. They got the smell of alcohol and a breath test proved positive. A subsequent test revealed a breath-alcohol reading of 61 micrograms, the legal limit is 35mgs.
Solicitor Sylvia MacLennan said that the disqualification would cause Taylor (42) of Perry Court, London Road, Faversham, Kent, some difficulty, not only in getting back home, but in his business.
Taylor can get a three-month discount on his ban, if he successfully completes the drinks drivers’ rehabilitation course.

Banged on door

A THURSO teenager who caused a disturbance after he arrived home from a birthday party to find his partners had shut him out, had sentence deferred to allow him to demonstrate he could behave himself.
Liam Wann, of Lythmore Road, Thurso, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour, towards Montana Stevens on June 19.
It was stated that the 18-year-old accused banged on their front door, so hard, that a glass panel in it, broke.
Senior fiscal depute, David Barclay, said that Ms Stevens was upset by the accused’s late return home and wanted to be left alone.
He added: “He went about trying to get her attention, the wrong way.”

Broke police car window

A young man who had sentence deferred for six months after he admitted smashing the rear window of a police car, had not behave himself in the interval.
Mr Barclay, senior fiscal depute reported that one matter had come to the attention of the police in the interval.
The accused, Kieron Paton (20) of Upper Dunbar Street, Wick, was fined £75 and ordered to pay the police compensation of £221. The offence occurred in Back Bridge Street, Wick, on November 27, last year.