Guilty man leaps from court dock

John Crombie flees sheriff court after jail sentence

A criminal made a desperate bid for freedom after being sentenced to jail at Forfar Sheriff Court yesterday.

John Crombie leapt from the dock, evaded a G4S security guard and police officer and fled. He passed another police officer as he ran down the stairs from the first floor courtroom and out of the building.

The 41-year-old from Tealing had just been sentenced to 100 days in prison for posting sinister messages to an ex-partner on Facebook.

After escaping the court, a manhunt was launched and Crombie was found in the nearby Tesco supermarket. A police spokesman said he was taken straight to prison to begin his sentence.

A manhunt was launched in Angus after a man sentenced to 100 days in prison for posting threatening remarks on Facebook absconded from Forfar Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Gregor Murray had just passed sentence on John Crombie, 41, of Inveraldie Crescent, Tealing, when he made his bid for freedom from the dock.

He rushed past a G4S security officer and a police officer, before passing another police officer on the stairs of the court building, with the court personnel in pursuit.

Crombie had previously pled guilty to posting threatening messages regarding his ex-partner on Facebook.

The charge stated, between September 25 and September 26 2018 at an address in Forfar, Strathmore Primary School and elsewhere, he engaged in a course of conduct which caused his ex-partner fear or alarm and did utter threats of violence towards her, posted threatening messages on a social media network and posted a photograph of himself at his ex-partner’s door.

Depute fiscal Jill Drummond told the court, at 9pm on September 25, Crombie had told his ex’s neighbour to tell her he was “coming for her”.

At 7pm on September 26, Crombie’s ex was contacted by a friend who told her Crombie had posted a comment on Facebook stating his car had been “torched” and he blamed his ex.

Another message stated the “gloves were off” and “we will see how funny it is when half of Forfar is on fire”.

Ms Drummond said: “There was another post featuring a picture of the accused outside her address with ‘no bail condition’ and a winking emoji.”

She contacted the police and when Crombie was traced, he was taken to divisional headquarters.

Defence solicitor Brian Bell told the court his client had had a card put through his letter box by Police Scotland to say his car had been set on fire.

He had been in a brief relationship with his ex and there was a “bad feeling”.

He pled guilty and had shown a degree of remorse.

Mr Bell said: “The posts were made out of frustration – he had no intention of carrying out any of the actions, he never had any intentions of setting Forfar alight, that was just stupidity.”

Sheriff Murray noted this was the fifth offence involving Crombie and his ex.

He added that he would sentence him to 100 days in prison.

A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed a 41-year-old man had been traced in the Tesco supermarket in Castle Street, Forfar, 15 minutes after he absconded from the sheriff court.

He was taken to prison.