Campbeltown sheriff court
Islay sexual assault trial
A NEWTON Mearns man appeared in Campbeltown sheriff court to face charges of sexually assaulting two women.
Ian McLellan, 58, of Holly Trees, North Hillhead Road has denied five charges of assault and abuse on the island of Islay on three occasions in 2012.
The trial will be heard on September 19 by Sheriff Patrick Hughes. It will start at the earlier time of 9.30am.
Provoked man made threats
A CAMPBELTOWN man pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening violence towards a family, and claimed they were calling him a junkie.
George Paton, 45, of High Street was fined £170 for his behaviour, but Sheriff Patrick Hughes said his actions were not without provocation.
While giving the facts of the case Procurator Fiscal Eoin McGinty said: ‘After a conversation turned sour, Paton threatened the people he was talking to. He said: ‘‘You’d better not phone the police or your family is going to get it’’.’
Defence agent Stephen MacSporran said Paton had been going about his own business when the incident happened.
Mr MacSporran said: ‘These people called him a junkie and spoke to Mr Paton in not too nice terms.’
Sheriff Patrick Hughes said: ‘This is a terrible thing to say to anyone - but there does seem to be provocation in this case.’
Deferred sentence
A MAN who pleaded guilty to three charges of punching his partner, resisting arrest by lashing out at a police officer and kicking a police van will have to wait a month to be sentenced.
Sheriff Patrick Hughes said he wanted court reports such as a criminal justice report and a social work report before he sentenced 24-year-old Scott McGurn of Millknowe, Campbeltown.
He will appear for sentencing on September 19.
Woman remanded
A CAMPBELTOWN woman who was causing ‘a nuisance to society’ will remain on remand until she is sentenced later this month.
Adela Stimpson, 46, Killeonan Cottages pleaded guilty to two charges of threatening and abusive behaviour on May 8 2017 and July 21 2017 and head-butting and kicking a police officer on July 21 2017.
She appeared in court last Wednesday.
Stimpson was remanded in custody – after Sheriff Patrick Hughes had made arrangements for her cat to be looked after in its owner’s absence.
On May 8, Stimpson was shouting at a man who was chopping logs in his garden. When the man refused to stop going about his lawful work - Stimpson got into his van and refused to leave.
On July 21, Stimpson was arrested after behaving in a threatening and abusive manner after causing some annoyance to her neighbours.
After she was arrested she assaulted a police officer at the charge bar of Campbeltown police cells.
Defence agent Stephen MacSporran argued his client had recently been diagnosed with ADHD and had been offered an appointment with a hospital specialist.
Sheriff Patrick Hughes said: ‘I have heard everything that has been said in court today. I thank Mr MacSporran for his very helpful submission on your condition.
‘I am afraid the public should no longer be subjected to your behaviour. I am sending you to prison.’
Sheriff Hughes continued: ‘I am asking your solicitor to make arrangements to have someone look after your cat. If no one can be found then I want the SSPCA to visit your home with police officers to ensure it is cared for while you are on remand.’
Menacing phone calls
STRICT bail conditions were imposed, at Campbeltown sheriff court, on a man who pleaded guilty to uttering threats of extreme violence by telephone.
James Docherty, 41, of 3 Glenburn Court, Dalaruan Street, Campbeltown, appeared from custody on Monday morning
before sheriff Joe Thomson.
Docherty pleaded guilty to two charges, firstly that, last Saturday, he made calls that were grossly offensive and of an indecent, obscene or menacing character and repeatedly uttered threats of extreme violence.
On the same day he admitted making further similar calls to another person.
Sheriff Thomson deferred sentence for social work reports until September 21.
He bailed Docherty on strict conditions that he does not go near certain addresses in the town.
Fine for pub fracas
A TARBERT man was fined £500 at Campbeltown sheriff court after admitting an assault in a public house.
William MacFarlane, 51, Archlea, School Road, who was of previous good behaviour and had acted after some ‘provoca-
tion’, was told by Sheriff Patrick Hughes that if he had not admitted his crime, he may have been looking at a prison sentence.
CCTV evidence showed that on May 13 MacFarlane was in the Tarbert pub when another man with whom he had argued came into the premises.
After a short altercation, MacFarlane grabbed the victim by the neck where he fell to the ground knocking his head on a fireplace.
MacFarlane said he sincerely regretted the incident.
Sheriff Patrick Hughes said: ‘This is an unfortunate matter with a degree of provocation.’