Woman threw coffee over sister as they waited in court foyer

A witness threw a cup of coffee over her sister as she waited to give evidence in a court case.

Cheryl Newlands told her sister “your junkie son is going down” during the altercation, which took place just feet away from the main courtroom.

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte told the court: “The accused is the sister of the complainer and the accused had been cited as a Crown witness to give evidence against the complainer’s son.

“He and others were facing charges of malicious damage to the accused’s property to the extent of £3,000.

“She was keen for the trial to go ahead and discharged herself from Carseview three days earlier to attend.

“There had been an earlier skirmish between them as the complainer was unhappy that the accused was going to be giving evidence.

“The complainer was in court to support her sister-in-law.

“At around 10.20am the accused was buying a cup of coffee at the coffee stand. She saw the complainer and her sister-in-law and shouted and swore at her...telling her ‘your junkie son is going down’.

“During the course of that she threw the contents of the coffee cup at Ms Travers, which landed on her clothing.”

Solicitor Linda Clarke, defending, said Newlands’ accepted it was a “stupid” thing to do and that if there was ill-feeling then she should have left the building.

Newlands, 51, pleaded guilty to acting in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting and throwing a cup of hot coffee at Karen Travers at Perth Sheriff Court on December 5 last year.

Sheriff Michael Fletcher fined Newlands, of Green Julian Place, Inchture, £400.