Latest news with #KirkcaldySheriffCourt
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Vigilante brothers abducted boys, 11 and 12, to ‘give them a fright' after parents' home vandalised
The pair told the 'terrified' youngsters they were 'going to batter them' TERRIFYING ORDEAL Vigilante brothers abducted boys, 11 and 12, to 'give them a fright' after parents' home vandalised A PAIR of vigilante brothers abducted two schoolboys in retribution for their parents' livingroom window being smashed by vandals. John, 53, and Richard Saunders, 50, grabbed the boys, aged 12 and 13, inside a Co-Op shop, and took them for a "terrifying" drive in their car. Advertisement 3 Richard Saunders and his brother John grabbed the boys after their parents' window was smashed 3 John Saunders said he and his brother acted after weeks of youngsters "causing havoc" 3 Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the Saunders brothers took the law into their own hands Credit: Alamy Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard the Saunders brothers took the two boys' mobile phones off them to prevent them from calling for help whilst detaining them inside their car. After being bundled into the back of the vehicle and driven off the Saunders brothers told the "terrified" youngsters they were 'going to batter them'. The court was told the pair had reacted after weeks of young people "causing havoc" in the area where their parents lived. John, of Kenilworth Terrace and Richard, of Melrose Gardens, both Lochore, admitted abducting and assaulting the two boys on September 30. Advertisement They seized and pulled them by the body, removed them from a shop, struck one of them on the head and abducted both of them by forcing them into a vehicle and driving them away. The brothers drove around during the frightening ordeal, telling the children they were "giving them a fright", before dropping them off. At 9.45pm the mum of one of the boys heard a car pull up outside. The court heard John Saunders was pulling her boy by the jumper and told the mum what had happened. Advertisement The prosecutor told the court Saunders said that his mum's window had been smashed and that it had "been going on for months". Asked if he had anything to say to the court, John Saunders, who was representing himself, said, 'The window wasn't cracked, it was shattered and smashed. Rachael Watts, who breaks her thirty-year silence to share her story for the first time on camera revealing how she survived a brutal abduction and assault 'I got a call from my parents to say their window had been smashed and as I drove to their house, I saw them (the boys) walking from there towards the Co-op. 'When I went into the house my mum was so upset and I didn't know what to do. Advertisement 'I went to look for them and they were in the shop like nothing had happened.' Saunders said the boys had told them that someone from Cardenden had also been there at the time and so they had gone looking for him at bus stops. Saunders told the court, 'I realised what I was doing was wrong' and he then took the boys home. Solicitor David McLaughlin, representing Richard Saunders, said his client was a hard-working family man with two grown-up children and had never been involved in a court case before. Advertisement He went on, 'The background is that youngsters within the area were effectively causing havoc and had been picking on the brothers' mother and father for a number of weeks. 'On this occasion the window was shattered and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. 'He lost his temper and it was a spur of the moment thing. He and his brother made poor decisions. 'He acknowledges he stepped out of line and appears to show genuine remorse. As he put it, 'two wrongs don't make a right'.' Advertisement Sheriff Steven Borthwick said he acknowledged that the brothers' actions were out of character. He told them, 'Both of you were very concerned for the well-being of your parents, were angry and wanted to do something about it. 'However, it is completely unacceptable to do what you did. That's the sort of offence that leads to the serious consideration of the imposition of a custodial sentence. 'It's simply not acceptable for civilians to take the law into their hands, especially when children are involved.' Advertisement He sentenced both brothers to a community payback order with 150 hours of unpaid work.
The Courier
28-05-2025
- The Courier
Wednesday court round-up — Flipping the bird and stealing from a sex worker
A Fife oil and gas worker lost his temper after another driver gave him the middle finger during an overtake on the A92. , 41, got out of his car in front of the other vehicle near West Kirkcaldy Roundabout and walked aggressively towards it before the motorist drove off. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard, according to Moffat, 'one or two' others have 'flipped him the bird' since he bought a Range Rover-type vehicle. Moffat, of Kirkcaldy, was pleading guilty to an amended charge of committing a breach of the peace on October 3 last year. He had originally faced an allegation of dangerous driving. Prosecutor Brogan Moffat told the court it was around 1pm when the other male driver saw Moffat travelling in the outside lane. The accused moved his vehicle into the inside lane in front of the other car and stopped in the middle of the carriageway, left the vehicle and walked towards the other car vehicle in an aggressive manner, the fiscal said. The other driver then reversed and drove off. Defence lawyer David Cranston said Moffat had been in Dunfermline shopping and was returning home on the A92 when he overtook the other car. Mr Cranston said: 'As he passed the vehicle, the driver flicked him the middle finger and gesticulated in a way internationally acknowledged to be offensive. 'Mr Moffat was somewhat taken aback by that and pulled into the slow lane and the car passed him'. The lawyer said Moffat travelled behind the other vehicle and was 'fizzing and upset' about what happened, eventually stopping in front with the 'intention of remonstrating'. The lawyer said Moffat told him 'one or two other people have flipped him the bird' since he bought the vehicle. Mr Cranston said Moffat has worked in the oil and gas industry since he left school and is in the middle of a four-year contract working in Iraq. Sheriff Steven Borthwick fined Moffat £200, reduced from £300 due to his early guilty plea. A volunteer at a major international scouting event has been placed on the sex offenders register for repeated attacks on a fellow adult supervisor. laughed in his victim's face after groping her at a pub during the 2024 Blair Atholl Jamborette, then turned up at her tent uninvited and started stroking her leg. A Glenrothes man left his four-year-old victim bruised after biting him to teach him a lesson. appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to be sentenced after admitting the assault in November 2024. Prosecutor Catherine Stevenson explained a member of staff at the boy's school was made aware of the attack and resulting thigh injury. 'He's disclosed to her that he has ben bitten by the accused and had a bruise as a result,' Ms Stevenson said. The disclosure was reported to social work and Blair, 32, was interviewed. Ms Stevenson said: 'During the inquiry, a phone call was made to the accused. 'During this call, the accused admitted that he was responsible but didn't mean to harm him as much as he did.' The accused went on to say the boy had bitten his little brother and he 'wanted to teach him a lesson and let him know what it felt like.' His solicitor Martin McGuire said: 'It's quite an unfortunate incident and Mr Blair regrets it.' Sheriff Mark Allan placed Blair under supervision for six months and ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work in that time. A 60-year-old man convicted of a 'sustained' attack on his ex-wife's partner with a knuckle duster in Dundee has been sentenced. also bit the man on the head during the vicious assault. A Fife man who stole hundreds of pounds from a sex worker has been told to do 180 hours of unpaid work and pay his victim £500 in compensation. , 20, had been boozing at a friend's house in Methil and paid for an Uber to bring the escort to the address. After sexual contact took place, McNeil became 'unhappy' and took money – estimated to be around £500 or £600 – from the woman's handbag before she left in a 'distressed state'. Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard previously the woman's phone was damaged during the incident and she needed a replacement. She went to the home of a neighbour unknown to her and police were contacted. McNeil, of Castle Crescent, Kennoway, earlier pled guilty to removing a handbag from the woman and stealing money from her at an address in Methil on November 6 2023. It had previously been alleged McNeil assaulted the woman, including brandishing an axe at her but prosecutors accepted the deletions in the charge. Speaking in mitigation this week, defence lawyer David McLaughlin said his client described having feelings of shame and disgust about the incident. Mr McLaughlin pointed out McNeil was 18 at the time and had lost his job and partner. Sentencing, Sheriff Susan Duff said: 'You are right to feel ashamed of your behaviour. 'This was a very frightening experience for a vulnerable young woman whose phone was damaged, leaving her having to run to the home of a stranger for help. 'She was extremely distressed by your conduct'. A man who paid £20,000 to come illegally to Britain became a key player in a £6.5 million cannabis farm brazenly located on busy Kirkcaldy High Street. ,24, was arrested after police caught him at a former branch of WH Smith in Kirkcaldy in 2022.
The Courier
23-05-2025
- The Courier
Groundworker led police on 'idiotic' Kirkcaldy chase
A Glenrothes groundworker led police on a chase through Kirkcaldy after they tried to stop him for not wearing a seatbelt. Scott Johnstone sped off and carried out dangerous overtaking manoeuvres as he tried to flee. The 29-year-old eventually stopped the van he was driving and made off on foot but was caught nearby. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he was uninsured at the time. Fiscal depute Eve McKaig said: 'At 10:30 am police officers with an unmarked police vehicle were carrying out a patrol on Dunnikier Road when they observed a Ford Transit approaching the roundabout and observed the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. 'The police have stopped in a position in front of it to get it to stop. 'The position has made it clear the intended to speak to the accused but the van has driven around the police vehicle. 'They activated their blue lights. The pursuit continued with the accused driving at speeds of 60-to-65mph in a 40 limit. 'He carried out overtaking manoeuvre of two preceding vehicles, crossing the central line and into the path of oncoming vehicles.' After Johnstone had stopped and run off, officers discovered he had two passengers in the vehicle. Johnstone's defence agent said his client recognised the folly of his actions. He said: 'He fully accepts his idiotic behaviour and regrets his actions. 'He was using the van to go to a job. He doesn't have an explanation for why he drove off.' Johnstone, of Alexander Road, admitted driving without insurance and driving dangerously on Dunnikier Road, Kirkcaldy, on March 27. Sheriff Robert More told him: 'I don't doubt you panicked. 'It wasn't just bad driving, it was a deliberate course of driving you embarked on. 'If you had gone into another vehicle or struck a pedestrian you would have been in the High Court and looking at double figures for a jail term. 'I don't think there's morally much difference between you and someone who does strike someone.' He disqualified Johnstone from driving for 12 months and until he resits the extended test. He also ordered him to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.
The Courier
15-05-2025
- The Courier
Pet ban for neglectful Fife owner after underfed bulldog put to sleep
A Glenrothes man's bulldog had to be put to sleep after police found it malnourished, infected and shut away alone in a filthy bedroom. Steven Wolohan admitted causing the dog called Hugo unnecessary suffering at his home in Dunbeath Drive. A police officer carrying out a welfare check alerted the Scottish SPCA after finding the 27-year-old's pet in a room strewn with faeces. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard that Wolohan's home had been inspected by the animal welfare charity about a year earlier. Wolohan appeared in the dock to admit a charge under Section 19 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. The offender, who according to his lawyer 'wasn't keeping on top of his own affairs,' was spared jail, but banned from keeping animals for five years. Prosecutor Christine Allan said a SSPCA inspector received an anonymous call on June 17, 2022. The caller reported a dog in poor condition which was often left alone for long periods and never walked. Wolohan was reluctant to let the inspector inside his home, but agreed to bring seven-year-old Hugo to the door. The dog was in good condition but had an ear issue which Wolohan was advised to have treated by a vet. When the inspector returned 11 days later, Wolohan revealed he hadn't taken Hugo to a vet as he had to pay for dog food instead. He was given a large bag of dog food by the inspector but subsequently stopped responding to calls and cards. More than a year later, the charity was again asked to attend at Wolohan's home – this time by a police officer carrying out a welfare check. The PC reported that on August 4 in 2023, Hugo was found shut away in a bedroom in poor condition and was in a home full of mouldy faeces. The kitchen was dirty with rubbish and appliances strewn around the floor, the hallway had various items rolled up and in the living room there were multiple piles of faeces, including diarrhoea. The property smelled of urine and faeces. Hugo was found lying on a dirty bed in an upstairs bedroom with rubbish and beer cans on the floor. He was removed from the property while police continued to search for Wolohan. Hugo was taken to St Clair Veterinary Practice in Kirkcaldy and assessed by Dr Melanie Tardif-Faessel. She found that although Hugo should have weighed between 35 and 40kg, he was in fact only 28kg. He scored 2/9 on the Purina scale, his ribs were visible and he'd lost muscle mass. Hugo had sores on his paw pads, mild periodontal disease and dandruff. His ear condition had worsened and it wasn't possible to examine inside with an otoscope due to the discharge of pus and abnormal narrowing. The vet found Hugo's dietary needs hadn't been being met for weeks. He continued to receive treatment at the Scottish SPCA clinic but a decision was taken later that month to euthanise him. At an earlier hearing, Wolohan admitted that between June 17 2022 and August 4 2023, he caused a dog he was responsible for to suffer unnecessarily by an act or omission. He failed to provide the dog with appropriate care and treatment, in particular adequate nutrition whereby the dog lost body weight. He also failed to obtain vet advice or treatment for the dog for a number of health conditions including ulcerated ear canals, body weight loss and loss of muscle mass. Prosecutors previously accepted Wolohan's not guilty plea to a second charge of failing to take reasonable steps in the circumstances to ensure the welfare of the dog. Wolohan's lawyer Martin McGuire said: 'It's fair to say during the course of 2022 and 2023, Mr Wolohan's personal circumstances had deteriorated. 'He wasn't taking care of himself, let alone the dog. 'Mr Wolohan found himself in a situation where he was drinking to excess and there was substance misuse. 'He wasn't maintaining his own affairs. 'He was in a state of depression, he simply wasn't able to progress matters. 'As he understands, the court can impose a period of imprisonment today. The matter does clearly reach the custody threshold.' Sheriff Mark Allan imposed a direct alternative to custody, ordering Wolohan to complete 150 hours of unpaid work over the next year. He also placed Wolohan under supervision for a year and on an 8pm to 6am curfew every night for six months. The sheriff also furnished Wolohan with a pet ban. He said: 'Mr McGuire is absolutely right to acknowledge on your behalf that this offence passes the custody threshold. 'But for the fact that there is available a significant and stringent package of community-based disposals, you would otherwise be going to prison for this offence. 'Because of the severity of the matter before the court, the harm and suffering caused to this animal, you will be disqualified from owning or keeping an animal for a period of five years from today.'
The Courier
15-05-2025
- The Courier
Fife nightclub worker glassed, headbutted and stamped on by four people in Halloween attack
A Kirkcaldy nightclub worker was set upon by a four-strong family group in a violent Halloween attack. The employee at the town's Society venue was hit on the head with a flying glass, slapped, headbutted, chased into a staff room, kicked, punched and stamped on, Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard. In the dock for sentencing were 50-year-old Steven Craigie, of Winding Wheel Way, Bowhill, and Ben Clark, 24, of Allan Park, Cowdenbeath. Beside them were 20-year-old Chloe Craigie, of Roberts Street, Kirkcaldy and Laihla Craigie, 18, also of Winding Wheel Way. They all admitted that on October 31 at Society, Charlotte Street, whilst acting together they assaulted their victim. The charge states the group repeatedly pushed him, threw a drink over him and threw a glass at him, striking him on the head with it. They repeatedly slapped him on the head, pinned him against a wall and headbutted him. The accused then repeatedly punched him on the head and body, pursued him into a private staff area and forced open a private door. They climbed over a counter in the bar area to gain access to further assault him. Next, they repeatedly kicked and punched him when he was on the ground, repeatedly stamped on his body and threw a plant at him, all to his injury. The Crown accepted that a comment had been made before the assault but no further details were given. The court was told that Steven Craigie's position was that something was said to his daughters by the bar worker. Sheriff Steven Borthwick said that under the law, when a group acts together, they are responsible for offences together, although different people were doing different things in the assault. 'Each person is responsible for the acts of the group,' he told them. He went on: 'This was an attack on a man at his place of work and was an outrageous incident. 'There was an element of provocation but not in the legal sense. Certain comments were made which led to an over-reaction on your part.' Steven Craigie and Ben Clark were each sentenced to a community payback order with 120 hours of unpaid work. Chloe and Laihla Craigie were each ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work and the latter was also put on supervision for a year.
