Nwicker60
07-Aug-12, 08:26
Accused's car impounded pending outcome of road traffic allegations
A WICK woman, accused of drinks-driving and failing to provide specimens of breath, has had her car seized by a court... although she has yet to stand trial on the charges.
Sheriff Andrew Berry granted a petition impounding Lynda Donn’s car meantime.
The petition was submitted, at Wick Sheriff Court, by senior fiscal depute, David Barclay, who explained that he was obliged to do so under legislation relating to the breath specimens allegation.
He said that in the event of Donn (52) of Anderson Drive, Wick, being found guilty, he would ask the sheriff to consider forfeiture of the vehicle. The charges, which Donn denies, allege that she was unfit to drive in Girnigoe Street, Wick, through drink or drugs, on August 3, and at the local police station, later, she failed to provide two specimens of breath for analysis.
The court heard that the accused owned the car which as worth £3000 and she was repaying a purchase loan on it. The vehicle is currently being stored at a Wick garage.
Granting the seizure petition, Sheriff Berry said that a final decision on what would happen to it, would be dealt with at “some other stage in the proceedings”.
Donn’s solicitor, Neil Wilson gave notice that while he did not object to the interim seizure, if forfeiture became an issue, he would oppose it.
The accused, who appeared from custody, was granted bail and will return to the court for her trial on October 29. A preliminary hearing was fixed for the eighth of that month.
Party guests were showered with glass
GUESTS got a shock when a window of a house they were partying in, was shattered by stone.
It was thrown by fish worker Darren Cooper in a bid to get his partner of four years, to come home,
He had earlier tried earlier tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade her to leave the party at a house in Provost Smith Road, Thurso, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Mr Barclay, prosecuting, said that Cooper’s partner, however, was not one of three of the guests present in an upstairs room, when a large flat stone came through the window showering them with fragments of glass. They immediately identified Cooper as the person, below, responsible.
Cooper (27) was listed as being on no fixed abode and after being told that the relationship was over, intending moving south, to live with his mother in Blackburn, Lancashire. Appearing from custody, the accused pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless conduct which could potentially have caused injury, and admitted a record.
Sheriff Andrew Berry described the stone incident as “a wholly inappropriate way” to behave, and observed that Cooper was on a supervised release from prison to address his anger and alcohol problems, having been convicted, on indictment, of an assault.
He therefore ordered the accused to be remanded in custody, until August 24, pending a background report.
Driver had more than double the drinks limit
A MECHANICAL engineer, caught while driving with more than twice the legal drinks-driving limit, was fined £400.
First offender Christopher Hartley, of Couper Square, Thurso, pleaded guilty and was also banned from driving for a year, after appearing from custody.
He was stopped by police on the Castletown-Sibmister road, early yesterday. Tests revealed a breath-alcohol count of 87mgs. The legal limit is 35.
Sheriff Berry told Hartley (45): “Using a vehicle while under the influence of drink, poses a danger to other road users and, indeed, to yourself.”
Accused struggled with police after curfew breach
A THURSO man claimed that the reason he didn’t answer the door to police checking he was abiding by his curfew order, was that he had taken his usual nightly dose of sleeping tablets and didn't hear them.
However, senior fiscal depute David Barclay said that paramedics called in by the police concluded that Mark Macleod was under the influence of drink.
Macleod (28) appeared from custody and admitted breaching his curfew and struggling with police when he was arrested, on Saturday. It was stated that police obtained a warrant to arrest him after getting no response from either front or back doors of his home.
The accused struggled with officers on the way to the patrol car. He was remanded in custody after the court heard he was currently subject to a community service order, and will reappear on August 24 when Sheriff Berry will see a background report.
A WICK woman, accused of drinks-driving and failing to provide specimens of breath, has had her car seized by a court... although she has yet to stand trial on the charges.
Sheriff Andrew Berry granted a petition impounding Lynda Donn’s car meantime.
The petition was submitted, at Wick Sheriff Court, by senior fiscal depute, David Barclay, who explained that he was obliged to do so under legislation relating to the breath specimens allegation.
He said that in the event of Donn (52) of Anderson Drive, Wick, being found guilty, he would ask the sheriff to consider forfeiture of the vehicle. The charges, which Donn denies, allege that she was unfit to drive in Girnigoe Street, Wick, through drink or drugs, on August 3, and at the local police station, later, she failed to provide two specimens of breath for analysis.
The court heard that the accused owned the car which as worth £3000 and she was repaying a purchase loan on it. The vehicle is currently being stored at a Wick garage.
Granting the seizure petition, Sheriff Berry said that a final decision on what would happen to it, would be dealt with at “some other stage in the proceedings”.
Donn’s solicitor, Neil Wilson gave notice that while he did not object to the interim seizure, if forfeiture became an issue, he would oppose it.
The accused, who appeared from custody, was granted bail and will return to the court for her trial on October 29. A preliminary hearing was fixed for the eighth of that month.
Party guests were showered with glass
GUESTS got a shock when a window of a house they were partying in, was shattered by stone.
It was thrown by fish worker Darren Cooper in a bid to get his partner of four years, to come home,
He had earlier tried earlier tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade her to leave the party at a house in Provost Smith Road, Thurso, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Mr Barclay, prosecuting, said that Cooper’s partner, however, was not one of three of the guests present in an upstairs room, when a large flat stone came through the window showering them with fragments of glass. They immediately identified Cooper as the person, below, responsible.
Cooper (27) was listed as being on no fixed abode and after being told that the relationship was over, intending moving south, to live with his mother in Blackburn, Lancashire. Appearing from custody, the accused pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless conduct which could potentially have caused injury, and admitted a record.
Sheriff Andrew Berry described the stone incident as “a wholly inappropriate way” to behave, and observed that Cooper was on a supervised release from prison to address his anger and alcohol problems, having been convicted, on indictment, of an assault.
He therefore ordered the accused to be remanded in custody, until August 24, pending a background report.
Driver had more than double the drinks limit
A MECHANICAL engineer, caught while driving with more than twice the legal drinks-driving limit, was fined £400.
First offender Christopher Hartley, of Couper Square, Thurso, pleaded guilty and was also banned from driving for a year, after appearing from custody.
He was stopped by police on the Castletown-Sibmister road, early yesterday. Tests revealed a breath-alcohol count of 87mgs. The legal limit is 35.
Sheriff Berry told Hartley (45): “Using a vehicle while under the influence of drink, poses a danger to other road users and, indeed, to yourself.”
Accused struggled with police after curfew breach
A THURSO man claimed that the reason he didn’t answer the door to police checking he was abiding by his curfew order, was that he had taken his usual nightly dose of sleeping tablets and didn't hear them.
However, senior fiscal depute David Barclay said that paramedics called in by the police concluded that Mark Macleod was under the influence of drink.
Macleod (28) appeared from custody and admitted breaching his curfew and struggling with police when he was arrested, on Saturday. It was stated that police obtained a warrant to arrest him after getting no response from either front or back doors of his home.
The accused struggled with officers on the way to the patrol car. He was remanded in custody after the court heard he was currently subject to a community service order, and will reappear on August 24 when Sheriff Berry will see a background report.