Payback order breached

An Airdrie woman has been told to carry on with the remainder of her community payback order – despite falling at the final hurdle.

Katelyn Findlay, 22, avoided further punishment after breaching the order she was handed down almost three years ago following a bizarre sexual assault.

Findlay was initially punished after committing the strange act at Hyndland train station in Glasgow in 2013. She assaulted a male by placing a condom on her hand and slapping him on the head.

She then proceeded to shove her fingers directly into her victim’s mouth.

Findlay, of Rochsoles Drive, received a community payback order but has now been told she won’t have to see it through to its completion.

Her defence solicitor, Mark Lutton, said: “This was a very intense order and she has fallen foul at the last hurdle.

“She tells me she knows she has had a lack of discipline and knows she could end up in trouble for it.

“But it is due to expire on April 7 and she has worked hard throughout.”

Sheriff Petra Collins took a lenient view of the breach: “In terms of the admitted breach I’ll make no further order and it will continue until April 7.

“The main thing for you is that there is no further offending.

Warrant issued

A warrant for the apprehension of a Coatbridge man has been issued.

Tomasz Dawidziak, 22, was due to appear in court in relation to a couple of assaults at a takeaway on Airdrie’s Stirling Street in July last year.

But the wanted man failed to appear last week and now Sheriff Petra Collins has demanded he appear at court on April 5.

Dawidziak assaulted two staff members at the 3-in-1 takeaway on July 23 last summer.

He spat on one worker before challenging him to a fight, headbutting him and striking him on the head causing an injury.

This preceded an attack on another staff member during which the violent man, from Cumbrae Crescent, caused a stack of bottles to fall on his victim.

He struck him on the head and knocked him to the ground causing the bottles to topple, again causing injury.

Dawidziak’s sentencing was deferred until he appears in the dock.

Drug treatment

A Coatbridge junkie has been placed on a drug treatment and testing programme to try to help solve his addiction issues.

Sentencing had initially been deferred on John McElroy, 37, who was caught with heroin on Calder Street in February last year.

Defence solicitor Paul Belardo confirmed to Sheriff Petra Collins that his client was keen to take part in the programme.

He said: “Sentencing on my client had been deferred to see if he was suitable for a drug testing order. He is very keen to have that opportunity.”

Sheriff Collins said: “You must do as you’re told for the next 18 months whilst on this testing and treatment order.

“I am fixing a review for one month given your long standing drug problem.

“I am ordering you to appear on April 21.”

Further review

An Airdrie man has been told he is “back on track but not out of the woods yet” after taking heed of previous breach warnings.

William McPherson, 23, was given several community payback orders for separate offences committed in 2015 and 2016.

He was punished with an order in September 2015 after behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, but has since completed it and further hours of unpaid work handed down.

But the Broomfield Street resident still has to attend a review hearing on May 31 to assess a community payback order given to him for being caught with a knife on Craigneuk Place in May last year.

The court heard McPherson is making good progress with his order with his defence solicitor, Mark Lutton, telling Sheriff Petra Collins: “There are no issues in terms of his engagement with the order and he has taken heed of previous warnings.

“His order is not due to expire until 2018.”

Sheriff Collins noted: “This case is the most serious one and although it isn’t due to expire until January I want a further review in two months to see if he is sustaining the work being done.

“You will return here on May 31 for the review.

“You may be back on track Mr McPherson but you’re not out of the woods yet.”

Hit in the pocket

A £100 fine was the punishment for a Coatbridge man who behaved in a threatening and abusive manner at his Witchwood Court home.

Police were called to the residence of Mark Crawford on November 8 last year after neighbours heard an argument between the accused and a female.

The female could be heard shouting “let me go” and when police arrived at the home they arrested Crawford and took him to Coatbridge police office where he was cautioned and charged and made the reply of: “I’m not accepting.”

Sheriff Petra Collins told Crawford he would receive a custodial sentence if he failed to pay the fine in instalments of £10 per fortnight.

She tells me she knows she has a lack of discipline and knows she could end up in trouble for it