Psych plea over ‘murder’ claims man
The case against man accused of writing to neighbours of a Renfrew couple saying they intended to commit murder has been adjourned to see if he can be assessed by a psychiatrist.
Joseph Carson, 61, is said to have written numerous threatening and abusive letters between September 2013 and May this year.
Carson denies the alleged five-and-half-year poison pen campaign and is set to face five charges when he goes on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court.
The case was adjourned after his solicitor said he believes his client should be examined by a professional.
Solicitor Paul Coyle, who is court-appointed to act on Carson’s behalf, said:“He tells me he is quite content to remain in custody for ‘as long as it takes to get justice’— that’s his words to me.
“It is my duty to bring to the attention of the court any issues or concerns I have.”
In court, Carson said of Mr Coyle: “I want him removed. I want him sacked. I don’t want this man as my lawyer.”
Sheriff Sukhwinder Gill then ordered the custody officer to remove Carson from the court, before stating the case would recall later.
Prosecutors claim that, on a number of occasions between September 6, 2013, and May 16 this year, Carson, of Sound of Kintyre, Machrihanish, Argyll, engaged in a course of conduct which caused Gail McMillan and Alan McMillan fear or alarm.
On May 15 this year he is also said to have breached a NonHarassment Order, imposed in a Paisley vet Neil McIntosh, of Abbey Veterinary Group, shares his views with you every Thursday.
Today, we look at why putting off a visit to the vet’s can have fatal consequences.
Poor Colin. Our young (ha!), enthusiastic veterinary surgeon has been at it again.
But let’s call him Kevin, just to save his embarrassment.
You see, we were all sitting in the office the other day when Kevin misread the details on a computer screen situated on the far side of the room.
We immediately pounced upon this rare opportunity to suggest that Kevin was perhaps older than he felt and that his eyesight might just be failing a little.
Kevin, naturally, was affronted and, by way of mounting his defence, he challenged us to read the rest of the names, addresses and phone numbers from the distant list.
To his total horror, dismay and disbelief, everyone else did so with ease.
Kevin later left for home with a heavy heart and some serious concerns about his diminishing ocular prowess.
We thought no more about it till Kevin arrived, bright eyed, at work the following morning and announced to all and sundry that he had been for an eye test and that he had been told he had perfect vision.
He was a little upset that he had spent £10 on the test, but was relieved at the outcome.
It was only at this point that his colleagues admitted to him that they had not, in fact, been reading the details from the far away computer screen, but had been cheating by furtively glimpsing at a second screen, situated behind them, only two feet away.
Kevin really didn’t see the funny side.
But at least, I thought, he was right.
He was worried he might have a problem with his sight, so he did previous Paisley Sheriff Court case, by sending a letter to Ronald Moreland in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire, while banned from approaching or contacting him.
He faces three charges of writing to neighbours of the McMillans, in Moorpark Square, Renfrew, on the same day “intimating that Gail McMillan and Alan McMillan, neighbours of the said occupants, there intended to commit murder.”
Carson represented himself during a previous hearing, telling Sheriff Frances McCartney he denied the charges against him. something about it.
He didn’t waste precious time asking anyone and everyone who would listen what they could or couldn’t see.
He hadn’t spent sleepless nights worrying what could be wrong.
He had gone to the right person, had the appropriate test and put his mind at ease.
That is exactly how all medical anxieties should be dealt with.
Every day we see animals who are beyond help because their owners procrastinated over getting treatment.
They almost always tell us they were too worried to come in lest they were told their pet had to be put to sleep.
Often, by the time they made up their mind, they were right.
Early treatment is vital for many conditions.
So don’t sit and worry if your pet is drinking a lot.
Get a test for diabetes and kidney disease done now.
Unlike your doctor, we will usually be able to give you results in ten minutes.
Don’t wait and watch and worry about that lump growing day by day.
Sometime you are going to wake up and it’s going to have grown to an inoperable size.
Grasp the nettle and come and see us about it now.
If your pet’s breath is awful, you can bet his mouth is sore, so don’t suffer it until the bacterial infection has caused a heart murmur. Get his teeth cleaned.
That itchy skin is only going to get worse unless you scratch your plans and take him to the vet.
See the light, like Kevin.
Every day we see animals who are beyond help