A 21-year-old man appeared in private accused of assault to severe injury in Kelso.
Michael MacPherson, of Kirkfield, Eccles, is alleged to have committed the offence on June 3. He made no plea or declaration and the case was continued for further examination.
Sheriff Derrick McIntyre granted MacPherson bail.
BENEFITS CHARGE
A KELSO man has been charged with a benefits fraud involving more than £11,000.
Fifty-eight-year-old John Lewis is accused of claiming Disability Living Allowance to which he was not entitled to over a three-year period from his Inch Road home. The charge alleges he failed to notify an improvement in his ability to manage his disability.
The total sum involved is £11,395.
Lewis pleaded not guilty and a trial was fixed for August 29.
TRIAL DATE
A JEDBURGH man will stand trial at the town’s sheriff court on an assault charge.
Neil Broome, 34, of Hartrigge Crescent, denies repeatedly pushing Steven Russell and punching him on the head, causing him to strike a mirror to his severe injury. He also pleaded not guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour and uttering threats of violence.
The offences are alleged to have been committed in Oxnam village hall on February 10.
A trial was fixed for August 29.
NOT-GUILTY PLEA
DYLAN Scott, 20, of Wellfield Road, Hawick, denies punching a man to his injury and permanent disfigurement.
The offence is alleged to have happened at a house in Howdenbank, Hawick, on Hogmanay.
A trial is scheduled for Jedburgh Sheriff Court on August 29.
YOUTH ACCUSED
A MELROSE teenager has been accused of assaulting two police officers.
Kristopher MacLeod, 17, of Huntlyburn Terrace, is alleged to have kicked one constable on the body and butted another on the head. He is also charged with committing a breach of the peace and struggling violently with two police officers.
The offences are said to have happened at Priors Meadow in Jedburgh on March 23.
MacLeod pleaded not guilty to all four charges and a trial was fixed for August 29 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.
DRINK-DRIVER LOCKED UP
A SERIAL drink-driver who clocked up his sixth conviction was jailed for nine months.
Fifty-two-year-old Mark Reay was found guilty of his latest offence of driving while in excess of the legal limit at a trial at Duns Sheriff Court and sentence had been deferred for background reports. He was also on probation at the time of the latest crime.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond told the self-employed plumber, who lives in Market Square, Coldstream, he had no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.
In addition to the prison term, Reay was banned from driving for 12 years and a motion from the Crown to forfeit the van he had been driving was granted.
DRUG OFFENDER’S PAYBACK TIME
CANNABIS with a potential value of £3,000 was found growing in a Stow house.
The offence came to light when a letting agent was having a viewing of the Craigend Road property for a new client. A total of 33 plants were found in three separate growing areas.
Gordon McDonald, 36, now living at George Grieve Way in Tranent, pleaded guilty to a charge of producing cannabis.
His lawyer said the internet had given McDonald the idea of growing the cannabis for medicinal purposes to help with headaches he was suffering from.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond said the scale of the operation was significant and it was a serious matter.
However, Sheriff Drummond noted: “You have led a productive life and it is the first time you have been in this kind of trouble.”
A community payback order was imposed involving 100 hours of unpaid work.
BANNED FROM TAKEAWAY
A GALASHIELS man has been banned from a fast-food takeaway until the outcome of his trial.
William Charters, 50, of Forest Place, denies assaulting a woman in Crollas, High Street, Galashiels, on June 30 by slapping her on the face. He also pleaded not guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner, shouting and swearing and uttering racist remarks towards two shop employees.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond fixed a trial date for November 19 with an intermediate hearing on October 21.
The sheriff granted Charters bail with special conditions ordering him not to enter the shop and not to communicate with the two named employees.
APPEARED FROM CUSTODY
AN Eyemouth accused appeared from custody on an allegation of threatening or abusive behaviour to the mother of his one-year-old child.
David Meek, 21, pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing at her during the disturbance at a house in Acredale Road, Eyemouth, on Sunday evening.
The court heard he became aggressive when the woman – who he has an on-off relationship with – told him to leave the property.
Jobless Meek, of Church Street, was fined £120.
Sheriff Kevin Drummond told him: “Whatever problems you are having, the rest of us do not need to share it.”
GALASHIELS PUB ATTACK CASE
A GALASHIELS woman has been charged with assaulting a man in a public house on Braw Lads’ Day.
Susan Gray, of Gala Park, is accused of striking Edward Williams on the head and kicking him on the body in the Golden Lion.
Gray, 41, also faces a second allegation of acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting and swearing.
The case against her was continued without plea until August 26.
FINE FOR SOLDIER
A TERRITORIAL Army soldier who has just returned from Afghanistan became upset with his partner over a communication she received from a third party.
It resulted in a dispute between the pair.
James Johnston, 21, of Wellogate Brae, St Boswells, admitted struggling and fighting with Sara Wilson, who also faces a similar charge.
The offence happened at a house in Gala Park, Galashiels, on April 18.
After hearing Johnston was heading for service in Cyprus later this month, Sheriff Kevin Drummond imposed a fine of £120.
INTERMEDIATE TRIAL HEARING
RHUARIDH MacLeod, 21, who lives at Scott Crescent in Selkirk, is alleged to have threatened to stab a police officer at Borders General Hospital on May 31.
MacLeod pleaded not guilty and an intermediate trial hearing was continued until August 19.