COURT ROUND-UP: Sexual predators, assaults and racism among last month's Inverness court business
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Inverness Sheriff Court saw a huge mix of criminal business in February.
Here's our recap of some of the cases that made the headlines last month.
A 25-year-old Inverness man has been jailed for a total of 21 months after a series of offending which lasted a year.
Gavin Hampton appeared from custody by video link at Inverness Sheriff Court to be sentenced on eight separate charges he admitted which occurred between March 4, 2023 and February 4 this year.
A man who launched a brutal knife attack on his best friend which cost the victim an eye was jailed for four years and eight months.
David Wallace (36) repeatedly stabbed Robin Clark on the head and body during the attack at a house in Inverness.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the victim pleaded with his assailant to stop and ran out into the street shouting for help.
A customer pushed and racially abused two staff members at an Asian takeaway in Inverness while intoxicated, the city's sheriff court heard.
James Carroll (32), of Millerton View, Inverness, told the two men they should go back to the country they came from, and turning to other customers, suggested they were "probably skinning camels in the back".
A delivery van driver tried to prevent a convoy of supercars overtaking him on the world famous NC500 and ended up colliding with an expensive McLaren.
Jason Webber, of Blackwell Avenue, Culloden was described as "obnoxious" by Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald and was told he had "no right to try to control other road users".
A Romanian citizen claimed he met an Albanian stranger in an Edinburgh bar who paid him £200 a day to sell drugs in the Highlands.
But 20 year old Gheorghe Prodaniuc, who was staying on the Waverly Inn in Dingwall was spotted in his car waiting in a car park in Upper Kessock Street, Inverness and officers were suspicious.
A predator who inflicted "incalculable psychological damage" on young girls by approaching them in a play park and a bus stop and sexually assaulting two of them has been jailed for three years.
One of the girls, just eight years old, was grabbed by 47-year-old Warren Maclean at a play area behind St Valery Avenue and pulled to the ground but she managed to struggle free.
A Nairn businessman was jailed for 27 months after admitting a series of domestic abuse offences against his ex-wife.
Lee Macdonald and the woman ran Nairn Fuels but Inverness Sheriff Court heard that "contrasting opinions" on the direction of the business resulted in the relationship becoming "toxic".
A former teenage champion boxer carried out a series of vicious unprovoked attacks against three men, knocking one unconscious and biting another's ear to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.
But 21-year-old Darrell Russell, who represented Scotland, took part in televised bouts and had dreams of going to the Olympics, came very close to going to prison for the assaults.
A man who attacked a "long-time family friend" and her son in their home has been jailed for 20 months.
But Jack Mackenzie (23), of Hawthorn Drive, Inverness will be freed next month as sentence was backdated to May 16 last year, when the accused was first remanded in custody.
Members of the public in an Inverness city centre street were alarmed when they saw a man with what looked like a black handgun.
But after police were called to Baron Taylor's Street on December 15 last year, it was discovered that Alan Craig (56) of Muirtown Street, Inverness had an imitation weapon.
A former police officer who hurled abuse at his neighbour and threatened her brother while brandishing a knife has been ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
Donald Bain was also placed under six months of social work supervision and banned from harassing his neighbour for a year.
A 31-year-old Inverness man who went on a theft spree in the city last summer will be sentenced next month.
Arin Proudfoot, described as an Inverness prisoner, appeared by video link at Inverness Sheriff Court represented by solicitor advocate Shahid Latif.
Proudfoot admitted four charges of theft by housebreaking, one of shoplifting and one of threatening behaviour by brandishing a bicycle chain.
A hotel waitress who unlawfully obtained benefits totalling over £10,000 has been given six months to repay the cash.
Sentence had previously been deferred several times for 40-year-old Laura Frost, of Rosehaugh Road, Inverness, to make repayments.
A former University Challenge contestant branded a “nasty, perverted little spider” by a sheriff has urged appeal judges to overturn his conviction for preying on young girls.
Andrew Newton (31) sent indecent messages to females as young as 12 and attempted to persuade to meet him for sex, jurors at Inverness Sheriff Court heard.
Newton, of Broxburn, West Lothian, was given a 16-month jail term by Sheriff Ian Cruickshank last July after being convicted by jurors following a trial in the Highland capital.
But he addressed judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh to argue that he had fallen victim to a miscarriage of justice.
