Court hears of....

Plight of homeless man with nowhere to go except prison

A WICK man was remanded in custody yesterday because he was unable to provide a bail address.
No-one is prepared to take Robert Howden in on a temporary basis, so he must remain behind bars.
Fiscal depute David Barclay raised no objection to bail when Howden, 46, appeared from custody on a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour towards his ex-partner.
Tendering a not guilty plea on the accused's behalf, solicitor Jo MacDonald said that, unfortunately, she had no bail address to offer the court.
She said that Howden had been staying with his former partner after returning north but, he was no longer welcome there. Family were unable to help him because of his problems with alcohol and mental health difficulties.
Ms MacDonald told Sheriff Andrew Berry: "His daughter is genuinely upset at the situation but is unable to provide her father with an address".
Fiscal depute David Barclay stated:"Bail with special conditions is a possibility but an address appears to be a stumbling block."
Howden, described as being of no fixed abode, is not due to stand trial until December 12 but the sheriff indicated that he was prepared to grant bail if and when a suitable address was found.
Howden is alleged to have shouted and sworn at his ex-partner Karen Paton, at her home in Wick, made offensive comments about members of her family, and thrown household items about.