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Scottish Sun
30-04-2025
- Scottish Sun
Scots Dragons' Den star dodges jail over hammer attack on ex-girlfriend's car
He told cops he had gone to get money that he said he was owed 'STAY AWAY FROM HER' 'STAY AWAY FROM HER' Scots Dragons' Den star dodges jail over hammer attack on ex-girlfriend's car Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SCOTS Dragons' Den star was spared jail after turning up in a balaclava outside his ex-girlfriend's home and smashing her car windscreen with a hammer. Brian Smillie, 47, was warned by a sheriff: 'Stay away from her.' Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Smillie pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner Credit: Central Scotland News Agency Smillie – who was in a 2018 episode of Dragon's Den – had been in a relationship with his victim, Kelly Johnstone, 46, for four years, a court heard. The offence was committed nearly five years after it ended. Stirling Sheriff Court was told that Smillie and Miss Johnstone had not been in contact for some time, until at 5.15am on December 3, 2024, a 'loud bang' was heard outside her home in Cooperage Quay, Stirling. Smillie was seen wearing 'a big jacket and a balaclava' standing with a hammer next to Miss Johnstone's VW Passat Estate, which had a broken windscreen. Prosecutor Ann Orr said: 'Miss Johnstone was awakened by the sound of banging and looked out of her window and saw the accused outside.' Mrs Orr said Smillie began to walk away and Miss Johnstone and a relative who was in the house with her ran after him. Smillie asked them, 'Do you know who I am?' Mrs Orr said: 'Miss Johnstone knew that it was him.' Smillie said to Miss Johnstone: 'Do you know what you've done to me?' He then walked off, and police were called. Shock moment van ploughs into woman's home before driver leaps out and smashes windows with hammer He was detained and told officers he had gone to Miss Johnstone's to get money that he said that he was owed. Mrs Orr, the depute fiscal, said that she did not have a value for the damaged windscreen that she could tell the court. The fact that Smillie had been wearing a balaclava at the time was described at an earlier court hearing as 'sinister'. Smillie, of Stirling, appeared for sentence today after pleading guilty in March to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner. He had originally faced a charge of stalking, but the Crown accepted his plea to the lesser crime. Solicitor Virgil Crawford, defending, said: 'It's a slightly unusual offence in various ways, not least because of the passage of time between the end of the relationship and this behaviour.' Mr Crawford said it was clear from a background report on Smillie that he'd had 'various difficulties in his life'. He said: 'He'd had some ups, some downs, and it is quite clear that various things were playing on his mind, effectively bringing back old memories, which then seemed to cause him to act in what might be referred to as an irrational manner on this occasion.' Sheriff Mark O'Hanlon sentenced Smillie to 135 hours unpaid work, ordered him to attend a domestic abuse harm-reduction programme for two years, and imposed a non-harassment order banning him from approaching or contacting Miss Johnstone for three years. He told Smillie his behaviour had been 'clearly distressing' to Miss Johnstone. He said: 'This is a serious matter. 'Five years after the relationship ended you turned up at her address wearing a balaclava hat and more or less carrying a weapon. 'Stay away from her.' Smillie, who showed no emotion as sentence was passed, left the court with supporters understood to be members of his family. Smillie was the star of an intense 2018 episode of Dragons Den, when he was seeking investment for Edinburgh-based Beezer, a platform that allows anyone to create, distribute, manage and market their own app without any technical skills. He walked away with an offer from Dragon Peter Jones who called the company "a potential unicorn" and agreed to give £125,000 for a 15 per cent stake. In the end Smillie decided a better deal could be found elsewhere and later said he sold his two houses and his Banksy art collection to 'put everything' into Beezer. In 2022 it was announced that he was taking on the role of head of HoloAd at York-based influencer brand platform, 2mee.
STV News
30-04-2025
- STV News
Scots Dragon's Den contestant smashed ex's car windscreen with hammer
A man who appeared as a contestant on Dragon's Den turned up outside his ex-partner's home wearing a balaclava before smashing her car windscreen with a hammer. Brian Smillie – who was in a 2018 episode of Dragon's Den – had been in a relationship with his victim for four years, Stirling Sheriff Court heard. The offence was committed nearly five years after the relationship ended. The court was told that the 47-year-old and his victim had not been in contact for some time. At 5.15am on December 3, 2024, a 'loud bang' was heard outside the woman's home in Stirling. Smillie was seen wearing 'a big jacket and a balaclava' standing with a hammer next to the woman's VW Passat Estate, which had a broken windscreen. Prosecutor Ann Orr said: '[The victim] was awakened by the sound of banging and looked out of her window and saw the accused outside.' Mrs Orr said Smillie began to walk away and the woman and a relative in the house ran after him. Smillie asked them: 'Do you know who I am?' Mrs Orr said: '[The victim] knew that it was him.' Smillie said to the woman: 'Do you know what you've done to me?' He then walked off, and police were called. He was detained and told officers he had gone to the woman's home to get money that he said he was owed. Mrs Orr, the depute fiscal, said that she did not have a value for the damaged windscreen that she could tell the court. The fact that Smillie had been wearing a balaclava at the time was described at an earlier court hearing as 'sinister'. Smillie, of Stirling, appeared for sentencing on Wednesday after pleading guilty in March to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner. He had originally faced a charge of stalking, but the Crown accepted his plea to the lesser crime. Solicitor Virgil Crawford, defending, said: 'It's a slightly unusual offence in various ways, not least because of the passage of time between the end of the relationship and this behaviour.' Mr Crawford said it was clear from a background report on Smillie that he'd had 'various difficulties in his life'. He said: 'He'd had some ups, some downs, and it is quite clear that various things were playing on his mind, effectively bringing back old memories, which then seemed to cause him to act in what might be referred to as an irrational manner on this occasion.' Sheriff Mark O'Hanlon sentenced Smillie to 135 hours unpaid work, ordered him to attend a domestic abuse harm-reduction programme for two years, and imposed a non-harassment order banning him from approaching or contacting the woman for three years. He told Smillie his behaviour had been 'clearly distressing' to the victim. He said: 'This is a serious matter. 'Five years after the relationship ended you turned up at her address wearing a balaclava hat and more or less carrying a weapon. 'Stay away from her.' Smillie, who showed no emotion as sentence was passed, left the court with supporters understood to be members of his family. Smillie was the star of an intense 2018 episode of Dragons Den, when he was seeking investment for Edinburgh-based Beezer, a platform that allows anyone to create, distribute, manage and market their own app without any technical skills. He walked away with an offer from Dragon Peter Jones who called the company 'a potential unicorn' and agreed to give £125,000 for a 15% stake. In the end Smillie decided a better deal could be found elsewhere and later said he sold his two houses and his Banksy art collection to 'put everything' into Beezer. In 2022, it was announced that he was taking on the role of head of HoloAd at York-based influencer brand platform, 2mee. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rising costs force Leicestershire caravan firm to put site on market
A major Leicestershire caravan dealership has put its £1.7 million site up for sale amid financial struggles. PKF Smith Cooper, which specialises in business recovery, said Ryedale Caravan & Leisure's difficulties came amid what experts have called a "period of decline" in the caravan and leisure industry. PKF Smith Cooper said the Shepshed-based enterprise, which had 15 staff on its books according to the latest accounts available publicly, had not managed to sell a sufficient number of caravans to meet its running costs. The property, situated on A512 Ashby Road, is on the market for £1.7 1.83-acre freehold site includes showroom and warehouse facilities previously used for caravan sales and servicing, according to the particulars. Brett Barton, business restructuring and recovery partner at PKF Smith Cooper, said rising ownership costs and changes in the car market had contributed to industry-wide challenges. PKF Smith Cooper said manufacturers had taken "unprecedented" steps to boost sales, including extending discounts offered at the October 2024 show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. READ MORE: Government rules on whether Leicestershire elections can be postponed Mr Barton said: "Whilst the industry enjoyed increased levels of success in the pandemic with the staycation boom, recent issues with rising ownership costs – including new caravans, running costs and site fee costs – have resulted in a period of contraction." He added: 'Other external factors have also had an impact, such as the rise in electric car ownership and the limitation on towing capacity for this vehicle type. Electric cars are on average 1250kg gross weight compared with a VW Passat Estate that can tow 2000kg." When approached by LeicestershireLive with questions about potential job losses, workforce changes and employee support, PKF Smith Cooper declined to comment further. If you or someone you know has been impacted by the recent developments at Ryedale Caravan & Leisure, we want to hear from you. Contact us in complete confidence at We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first
