Trial postponed

Bug hits court officials and halts case

A JURY trial at Wick has been halted....by a bug. Both fiscal depute Karen Smith and sheriff clerk, Jan McEwan have succumbed to the illness, The delay was announced by Sheriff Andrew, today when the trial of Konstanty Bembnista was due to enter its fifth day.
It is now hoped that the trial will resume on Wednesday. However the interruption to the schedule means that with the Easter break approaching, it is likely that the case will spill over into its third week.
Bembnista, 68, denies on indictment historic charges of assaulting his former wife, Marie Islam at their previous home in Kyleburn Cottage, Lybster village and stalking her in Edinburgh. The offences are alleged to have occurred between June 1991 and July 2013.
Bembnista of The Meadows, Thrumster has been given special permission to have his dog, a Jack Russell cross, with him in the dock.