£200 fine for photos in court

A COURTROOM spectator was thrown in the cells and fined yesterday after he was spotted taking a photograph during a trial.

Euan Nicol, 36, was kept in a police cell for nearly three hours before being brought back into court and found guilty of contempt.

Sheriff Keith O’Mahoney told Nicol that taking photos in court could compromise the safety of the people working there.

Perth Sheriff Court was told Nicol had no interest in the ongoing domestic abuse trial, which was taking place with the witness giving evidence from behind a screen.

Instead, he had turned up to support a friend who was due to appear from custody later in the day after being arrested over the weekend in Perth.

Fiscal depute Matthew Kerr was conducting the trial when he reported that Nicol had taken two flash photographs from the public benches using his mobile phone.

Proceedings were halted shortly after noon and court police staff arrested Nicol and confiscated his mobile phone.

When he was brought back to the court in handcuffs, Nicol, of Perth, admitted he had taken photographs and sent one to his girlfriend to show where he was.

Sheriff O’Mahoney found Nicol guilty of contempt and fined him £200.

He said: ‘I have to have regard to the safety and security of all the people working in the courtroom. There are clear signs around the building about what you, as a member of the public, have to do when attending court.’