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INVERNESS COURT ROUND-UP: Shoplifter reprimanded, driving ban for Inverness roofer and prison for ‘reprehensible’ gambling addict





Inverness Sheriff Court
Inverness Sheriff Court

It was another busy week for news coming out of Inverness Sheriff Court.

Yesterday, the Inverness Courier reported that a 50-year-old Inverness man who abused retail and bar staff as well as police was described by a sheriff as "a complete menace when drunk".

Sheriff Gary Aitken stopped short of jailing John Mackay, of Tomnahurich Street, when he appeared from remand to be sentenced on a multitude of offences.

Inverness Sheriff Court had been told that Mackay was "always remorseful when sober" and his lawyer Samantha Morrison said her client "wanted to change".

Read more: HMV Inverness targeted by shoplifter who also abused retail and bar staff in array of offences

Police were concerned when a motorist blocked parking bays in the Merkinch area of Inverness and decided to speak to him.

But when they spoke to the driver of the black Mercedes in Kilmuir Road on the evening of April 27 last year, they could smell alcohol off his breath.

Breath analysis of 38-year-old Mareks Vladimirovs, of Rowan Place, Fraserburgh gave a reading of 46mcgs of alcohol when the legal limit is 22mcgs.

Read more: Fraserburgh drink-driver’s bad parking in Inverness caught attention of police

A keen sense of smell cost an Inverness roofer his driving licence for four weeks and a £680 fine.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that police were on mobile patrol in the Torbreck Road area of the city with the driver's window open.

Fiscal depute Adelle Gray told the court that the driver detected a strong smell of cannabis in the area and they decided to check a white Kia Rio which was parked on the street.

Read more: Inverness roofer caught by police after taking drugs

An Easter Ross man who appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court is accused of causing the death of a 59-year-old woman by driving dangerously with cocaine in his system and colliding with her car.

The charge states that 40-year-old Jamie Little from Alness, failed to make proper observations of the road ahead on the A9 at Torepark on April 30, 2024, drove on the opposing carriageway, failed to take evasive action despite oncoming traffic and caused his car to collide with that driven by Margaret Sutherland whereby she was so severely injured, she died.

Read more: Man accused of causing woman’s death on A9 near Tore

A gambling addict who fleeced his elderly and vulnerable neighbour out of £4500 to fund his addiction was jailed for eight months at Inverness Sheriff Court.

Sentence had previously been deferred for a background report on 69-year-old first offender Angus Brady but although he had no previous convictions, Sheriff Gary Aitken decided to send him to prison.

Brady's lawyer Kevin Hughes conceded his client's behaviour was "reprehensible" and argued to keep him out of custody after a guilty plea to using James Peace's bank card between February 1, 2023 and March 13, 2023 to steal the cash from ATMs in Inverness and Aberdeen.

Read more: Inverness gambling addict (69) jailed after stealing £4.5k from friend (83)


View our fact sheet on court reporting here




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