Thursday court round-up - The £250 slap and a grim plastic bag proposal

Court-round-up graphic — Monday court round-up

Greetings weary traveller, rest up and peruse today’s round-up of cases from courts across Tayside and Fife.

Fine for slapping

An economics student was fined after he admitted repeatedly slapping a woman’s buttocks in a St Andrews pub.

Sozzled Matthew Jackson carried out the attack at Aikman’s Bar, Bell Street, on January 26 last year.

The 22-year-old was initially charged with sexual assault but prosecutors accepted that Jackson’s attack was not sexually motivated.

Fiscal depute Carol Doherty told Dundee Sheriff Court how the victim rushed out of the bar after being grabbed by Jackson.

She said: “The complainer and her friends were on the dancefloor. The accused and his friends began dancing near and, at that point, he then used one hand to grab the complainer’s buttocks.

“She turned around and said ‘no’.

“However, he repeatedly made the same grab. The complainer decided at that point to leave.”

One of the woman’s friends was further away from the dancefloor and witnessed the incident.

She confronted Jackson who admitted slapping the woman’s buttocks.

Jackson, of Melbourne Place, St Andrews, later voluntarily attended at a police office days after the incident and said he had no recollection of what occurred.

He admitted assaulting the woman by repeatedly seizing and slapping her buttocks.

Solicitor Lee Qumsieh said Jackson, who is on course to graduate from St Andrews University with a first class honours degree, is hoping to study at a “prestigious” university in England.

However, his plans to attend the University of Barcelona were scuppered because of the case against him.

Mr Qumsieh said: “Clearly this conviction may impact on him in the future. These proceedings have been a significant source of stress and anxiety for him and his family.

“He was heavily intoxicated and was candid with the police. He effectively blacked out. He can’t quite believe he acted as he did.”

Sheriff Kevin Veal fined Jackson £250.

Assault charge

A man accused of attacking a woman and breaching bail conditions by being in Dundee has been remanded in custody.

Mark Law allegedly assaulted the woman on High Street, Monifieth, on May 25 this year.

It is alleged that Law grabbed her arm and attempted to remove a phone from her hand.

On the same date, the 43-year-old allegedly shouted and swore repeatedly and made violent threats towards the woman.

Law, of North Grimsby, Arbroath, is also alleged to have breached bail conditions on June 2 by being found in Dundee without a reasonable excuse.

He made no plea during his appearance from custody on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court.

No motion for bail was made on Law’s behalf by solicitor Scott Norrie.

Sheriff John Rafferty continued the case for further examination and remanded Law in custody meantime.

Plastic bag claim

A man has been accused of telling a child to put a plastic bag over her head.

Connor Tait allegedly caused the child to suffer fear or alarm in a Dundee park on May 30.

The offence was allegedly committed while Tait was subject to a sexual offences prevention order.

Tait is accused of engaging in conversation with the child at Hilltown Park, Caldrum Street and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

It is alleged that the 28-year-old caused the child to suffer fear or alarm by telling her to put a plastic bag over her head.

Tait, of Bonnethill Court, allegedly committed the offence while subject to two bail orders as well as the sexual offences prevention order.

No plea was offered on Tait’s behalf when he appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court.

Sheriff John Rafferty continued the case on petition for further examination and remanded Tait in custody meantime.

‘Assault and robbery’

A man accused of robbing his ex-partner after placing a cloth over her mouth has been remanded in custody.

Christopher Tennant allegedly attacked the woman on Perth Road, Dundee, on May 25.

The 41-year-old allegedly struck the woman on the head, seized her body and placed a cloth over her mouth, restricting her breathing as a result.

Tennant, of Cleghorn Street, is accused of causing the woman to suffer injury before robbing her of groceries.

He continued to make no plea when he made a second appearance from custody on petition at Dundee Sheriff Court.

Tennant was fully committed for trial by Sheriff Richard McFarlane who remanded him in custody.

No motion for bail was made on Tennant’s behalf.

Also…

A woman had to have an eye removed after her then-boyfriend smashed a pint glass into her face at a Dunfermline bar.

Alastair Lindsay admitted assaulting Zara Sutherland to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment and to the danger of her life at East Port Bar on April 21 2019.

A construction worker used an industrial digger to gouge large holes in a shared garden in a long-running boundary dispute with his neighbour.

Drunken Grant Hunter started digging random holes across the disputed area, despite being subject to a court order not to enter the land.