Several significant court cases have concluded this week across Tayside and Fife, ranging from an alleged crossbow attack on police in Dundee to a murder conviction and sentencing of a Fife predator. These cases highlight the diverse range of criminal activity in the region and the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and the courts to maintain public safety. Dundee Crossbow Incident Heads to Trial
A 34-year-old man, Michael Ley, will stand trial for allegedly firing a crossbow at Dundee police officers during an incident in Whitfield on March 14th. The incident, which occurred on Earlston Avenue, resulted in a firearm being discharged by armed officers. Mr. Ley, whose address was previously listed as the Queens Hotel on Nethergate, faces a single charge of attempted murder and endangering the lives of police constables. He has been remanded in custody at HMP Perth and will appear in court again at a later date to be confirmed. Life Sentence for Taxi Driver’s Murderer
Steven Greig, 47, has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 16 years, for the murder of Dundee taxi driver Mark Ward. The brutal attack, which took place on April 6th, 2022, involved Greig pushing Mr. Ward down a slope and then repeatedly kicking and stamping on his head. This sentencing follows a second prosecution for the attack. The judge emphasized the severity of the crime and the necessity of a custodial sentence, particularly given the violent nature of the attack. Perth Hospital Patient Fined for Violence and Vandalism
Neil Beattie, a 39-year-old patient at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth, has been fined £200 for vandalism and aggressive behavior. On August 7th, 2023, Beattie, a registered sex offender, caused £1,800 worth of damage by pulling a ward door off its hinges. He also shouted, made threats, and triggered a doctor’s panic alarm. The court heard that Beattie is subject to a community-based compulsion order and lives with his mother in Perth. Sheriff Clair McLachlan imposed the fine, acknowledging the need to address Beattie’s disruptive and violent actions. Former Fife Teacher Sentenced for Inappropriate Communication
Gilles Brown, a former secondary school teacher in Fife, has received a community sentence for sending explicit videos of himself to former pupils. After a trial, he was convicted of sending the videos to three young women. The case raises concerns about safeguarding vulnerable individuals and highlights the serious consequences of inappropriate behavior by those in positions of trust. The full details of Brown’s community sentence will be made public through official court channels. Fife Man Imprisoned for Sexual Assaults in Edinburgh
Kyle Kernachan, 28, from Lochgelly, Fife, has been remanded in custody after being found guilty of two sexual assaults committed in Edinburgh. The attacks involved the penetrative assault of one woman with a crowbar-like object on Silverknowes Beach sometime between February 2015 and October 2016, and the rape of a second woman while she was asleep and intoxicated in Granton in January 2017. Kernachan was acquitted of a third rape charge. A sentencing date is scheduled for next month, following the preparation of a background report. Kernachan, a first-time offender, has been placed on the sex offenders register. Lady Haldane, presiding over the case, indicated that a custodial sentence is unavoidable due to the nature of the crimes. Perth Pub Targeted by Sword-Wielding Arsonist
John Swanson, under the influence of alcohol, set fire to a hanging basket and a bin outside a Perth pub. Swanson also reportedly brandished a sword during the incident. The incident highlights the issue of alcohol-related crime and disorder in Perth city centre, a concern for local businesses and residents alike. Blairgowrie Man Banned from Driving for Drug-Driving Offence
David Dawson, 50, of Essendy, near Blairgowrie, has been disqualified from driving for 27 months and sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work under supervision for one year. Dawson was stopped by police in Dundee on Myrekirk Road on February 2nd of last year and found to have cocaine and benzoylecgonine levels in his blood far exceeding the legal limit. Sheriff David Hall, passing sentence, noted Dawson’s prior conviction for drink-driving in 2007 and emphasized the danger posed by driving under the influence of drugs.
A 34-year-old man, Michael Ley, will stand trial for allegedly firing a crossbow at Dundee police officers during an incident in Whitfield on March 14th. The incident, which occurred on Earlston Avenue, resulted in a firearm being discharged by armed officers. Mr. Ley, whose address was previously listed as the Queens Hotel on Nethergate, faces a single charge of attempted murder and endangering the lives of police constables. He has been remanded in custody at HMP Perth and will appear in court again at a later date to be confirmed. Life Sentence for Taxi Driver’s Murderer
Steven Greig, 47, has been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 16 years, for the murder of Dundee taxi driver Mark Ward. The brutal attack, which took place on April 6th, 2022, involved Greig pushing Mr. Ward down a slope and then repeatedly kicking and stamping on his head. This sentencing follows a second prosecution for the attack. The judge emphasized the severity of the crime and the necessity of a custodial sentence, particularly given the violent nature of the attack. Perth Hospital Patient Fined for Violence and Vandalism
Neil Beattie, a 39-year-old patient at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth, has been fined £200 for vandalism and aggressive behavior. On August 7th, 2023, Beattie, a registered sex offender, caused £1,800 worth of damage by pulling a ward door off its hinges. He also shouted, made threats, and triggered a doctor’s panic alarm. The court heard that Beattie is subject to a community-based compulsion order and lives with his mother in Perth. Sheriff Clair McLachlan imposed the fine, acknowledging the need to address Beattie’s disruptive and violent actions. Former Fife Teacher Sentenced for Inappropriate Communication
Gilles Brown, a former secondary school teacher in Fife, has received a community sentence for sending explicit videos of himself to former pupils. After a trial, he was convicted of sending the videos to three young women. The case raises concerns about safeguarding vulnerable individuals and highlights the serious consequences of inappropriate behavior by those in positions of trust. The full details of Brown’s community sentence will be made public through official court channels. Fife Man Imprisoned for Sexual Assaults in Edinburgh
Kyle Kernachan, 28, from Lochgelly, Fife, has been remanded in custody after being found guilty of two sexual assaults committed in Edinburgh. The attacks involved the penetrative assault of one woman with a crowbar-like object on Silverknowes Beach sometime between February 2015 and October 2016, and the rape of a second woman while she was asleep and intoxicated in Granton in January 2017. Kernachan was acquitted of a third rape charge. A sentencing date is scheduled for next month, following the preparation of a background report. Kernachan, a first-time offender, has been placed on the sex offenders register. Lady Haldane, presiding over the case, indicated that a custodial sentence is unavoidable due to the nature of the crimes. Perth Pub Targeted by Sword-Wielding Arsonist
John Swanson, under the influence of alcohol, set fire to a hanging basket and a bin outside a Perth pub. Swanson also reportedly brandished a sword during the incident. The incident highlights the issue of alcohol-related crime and disorder in Perth city centre, a concern for local businesses and residents alike. Blairgowrie Man Banned from Driving for Drug-Driving Offence
David Dawson, 50, of Essendy, near Blairgowrie, has been disqualified from driving for 27 months and sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work under supervision for one year. Dawson was stopped by police in Dundee on Myrekirk Road on February 2nd of last year and found to have cocaine and benzoylecgonine levels in his blood far exceeding the legal limit. Sheriff David Hall, passing sentence, noted Dawson’s prior conviction for drink-driving in 2007 and emphasized the danger posed by driving under the influence of drugs.