Assault trial

Two cleared of early hours bedroom attack

TWO Wick woman, alleged to have burst into a house in the town in the early hours and assaulted a third woman and her boyfriend while they were in bed, have been cleared of the crime.
The accused Stacey Bremner, 25, and Leah Smith 31, denied the assaults at Wick Sheriff Court but were found not guilty after their trial collapsed following a legal issue. In addition, Smith, of Dunnet Avenue, Wick, also pleaded not guilty to stealing a mobile phone but she was also found not guilty of the charge.
Earlier, the boyfriend, Graham Sutherland claimed that the two accused had entered his flat in Harbour Terrace, Wick, on March 13, last year, uninvited and kicked and punched him and Dana Macleod.
Mr Sutherland, 30, an electrician's mate said that at one point Smith told Bremner of Kennedy Terrace, Wick: "Make sure you mark her face." He added that he too was kicked and punched by the pair and that they "stomped" on Miss Macleod's head.
Bremner, eventually left the flat. Mr Sutherland's £500 iphone was said to have ended up in Wick River.
In evidence Miss Macleod said she had been drinking and couldn't remember anything of the incident. She accepted that she had given a statement to the police but questioned closely about it by fiscal Fraser Matheson, said her account would have been based on what her boyfriend had told her afterward about what had taken place.
At that point Mr Matheson submitted that to continue with the proceedings in light of this would not be in the public interest.
Sheriff Andrew Berry returned a formal verdict of not guilty in respect of both accused and they were told they were free to leave the dock.