Court round-up: All the latest news from Selkirk and Jedburgh sheriff courts
SUPERVISION
A 40-YEAR-OLD man who attempted to communicate indecently with an underage girl has been placed on supervision for two years as an alternative to custody.
Michael Reid was also given a night time curfew at his home in Ramsay Road, Hawick, between the hours of 9pm and 7am for three months and his name placed on the Sex Offenders Register for two years.
He encouraged the girl in a series of messages to carry out a sex act and repeatedly requested she send him naked images of herself.
Reid had been found guilty after a trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court to committing the offence at a house in Grieve Avenue, Jedburgh, in September 2022.
SMASHED WINDOW
A MAN has admitted smashing a large window at the Great Tapestry of Scotland visitor centre in Galashiels causing £2,000 worth of damage.
Jamie Cooper, who gave an address in Hawick, pleaded guilty to the offence which happened last November and also breaking a car windscreen.
The 18-year-old admitted charges of vandalism and malicious damage but not guilty pleas to two other charges of vandalism were accepted by the Crown.
Sentence was deferred at Selkirk Sheriff Court until June 10 for the production of background reports.
DRUGS CHARGES
TWO men have been remanded in custody in connection with the discovery of a cannabis cultivation in Hawick.
Police officers raided a former carpet warehouse in the town’s Havelock Street last Thursday morning and recovered 360 plants with an estimated street value of £105,000.
Twenty-two-year-old Bardhok Cara and 21-year-old Kristjan Prendi, both of no fixed abode, are accused of being concerned in the production and also supply of a controlled drug.
They are also charged with breaching the Electricity Act.
Both made no plea during the private hearing at Jedburgh Sheriff Court and the case was continued.
They were remanded in custody and due to appear in court again this week.
REMANDED
A 37-YEAR-OLD man charged in connection with the discovery of a £150,000 cannabis farm in Galashiels has been locked up until his trial date.
Erson Shurdha, of no fixed abode, made a second private hearing at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.
He is charged with being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug and also being concerned in the production of a controlled drug.
Shurdha is also accused of breaching the Electricity Act.
He made no plea and was fully committed for trial.
Shurdha was remanded in custody.
HOUSEBREAKER JAILED
A 60-YEAR-OLD man who admitted breaking into a house in the Borders has been jailed for eight months at Selkirk Sheriff Court.
Gordon Williamson also pleaded to a second charge of attempted housebreaking with intent to steal at a nearby property in Galashiels Road, Stow, in December 2022.
Williamson was confronted by one householder when he was found in the porch of her home shortly before midday and said he was looking at a car.
But a check of the property’s CCTV showed him rifling through a drawer in the house. Police carried out door to door enquiries and found an attempt had been made to break into another property.
The court heard that cash and jewellery had been stolen but all items were recovered.
Williamson’s lawyer blamed his client’s addiction to alcohol for his offending describing his schedule of previous convictions as “absolutely horrendous”.
He added there were two other accused in the case who were proceeding to trial.
Sheriff Kevin McCarron accepted Williamson, from Dalkeith, had stayed out of trouble for the past 18 months but said a custodial sentence was “inevitable”.
CAT CHARGE
A 20-YEAR-OLD man has been accused of throwing a woman’s cat out of a window of a Kelso property.
Lewis McCallum, of Torwoodlee Road, Galashiels, has pleaded not guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner during an incident at a house in Maxmill Park, Kelso, on February 28, during which he is said to have uttered threats of violence towards police officers while in possession of a lock knife.
He has also denied a second charge of being in possession of an offensive weapon, namely a lock knife.
ASSAULT CHARGE
A 29-YEAR-OLD woman will face trial in the summer on a charge of assaulting another female.
Jodie Perryman is accused of assaulting the woman and pinning her against her vehicle at The First and Last public house in Burnmouth on January 13.
She is also charged with careless driving by driving on the opposite carriageway and repeatedly sounding the horn of the vehicle and flashing lights.
Perryman, of Upper Burnmouth, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The trial was due to take place on Thursday but on a defence motion it was adjourned and a new trial date was fixed for July 30 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.
TRIAL DATE
A GALASHIELS man faces trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on four charges.
Twenty-eight-year-old Jordan Whittaker denies two counts of assault to injury, obstructing police and threatening or abusive behaviour.
The trial has been fixed for August 8.
ASSAULT CHARGES
A 64-YEAR-OLD man has been accused of carrying out three assaults in the Borders.
Joseph Watters, from Newmains in Lanarkshire, will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on August 8.
GOOD BEHAVIOUR ORDER
A 27-YEAR-OLD man who admitted assaulting his sister has been ordered to be of good behaviour for 12 months.
Dean Casey, who have an address in Melrose, is due to reappear at Selkirk Sheriff Court on May 12, 2025.
TRIAL
SREERAG Sridharan, who is 28, of McQueen Gardens, Galashiels, denies charges of assault to injury and threatening or abusive behaviour and will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on July 23.
He was granted bail with a special condition not to enter an address in Albert Place, Galashiels.
STALKING CHARGE
GARY McColm, who is 50 and from Innerleithen, pleaded not guilty to a charge of stalking and will face trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on July 23.
ASSAULT CHARGE
FIFTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Deborah Lyons, who gave an address in Galashiels, denies a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement and had a trial date fixed for May 28 at Selkirk Sheriff Court.
DRUG DRIVING
A GALASHIELS man who admitted a charge of driving while under the influence of cannabis has been banned from the road for three years and fined £500.
Selkirk Sheriff Court was told it was 40-year-old David Currie’s second similar offence.
UNPAID WORK
TWO men who caused a disturbance at a block of flats in Galashiels have been ordered to carry out unpaid work at Selkirk Sheriff Court.
Anton Bridges, 26, began kicking the door of a neighbour’s flat in Broom Drive,
Galashiels, when there were children inside.
He was assisted by 32-year-old Carl Mileham, from Coldstream, and both were described as intoxicated and behaving aggressively when police arrived on the scene.
Sheriff Kevin McCarron said it was a “nasty incident” and it was “absolutely outrageous they were scaring kids”.
Bridges, who pleaded guilty to threatening or abusive behaviour and obstructing police, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and Mileham, who admitted threatening behaviour was told he must perform 80 hours of unpaid work.
DRUG TRIAL
FOUR people accused of drug dealing in the Borders will stand trial at the High Court in Glasgow next year.
Galashiels pair Samuel Wightman, who is 32, and 57-year-old Dale Murray; along with 26-year-old Annalis Morrison, from Jedburgh; and 33-year-old Benjamin Cunliffe, from Ashton in Makerfield near Wigan, are all charged with being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug.
Wightman faces an additional charge of culpable and reckless conduct.
All four maintained their pleas of not guilty at a preliminary hearing at the High Court in Glasgow.
A trial date has been set for February 17, 2025.