Thursday court round-up — 'Couldn't harm a fly'

A 36-year-old man told police officers who caught him with a knife the blade “couldn’t harm a fly”.

Dean Fyall was stopped by officers in the Cupar area who recovered a black-handled knife in a sheath from his jacket pocket.

Multiple offender Fyall was jailed at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting possessing the blade on Waterend Road in the Fife town on July 15.

He was subject to five separate bail orders at the time.

HMP Edinburgh prisoner Fyall told police: “It was broken for one. It was blunt so it couldn’t harm a fly.”

Sheriff James Williamson sentenced Fyall to 12 months in custody.

Abuser’s guilt

A domestic abuser from Arbroath has admitted a campaign of violent behaviour towards his former partner. Ryan Buick appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court for a scheduled jury trial but instead pled guilty to a catalogue of domestic abuse lasting almost 16 months.

Threats

A boyfriend threatened to chop off his partner’s legs after she accused him of being unfaithful.

Hayden Rumgay appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted a domestically-aggravated charge of threatening behaviour towards his girlfriend at a city address on May 31 this year.

Fiscal depute Rebecca Davies said the couple had been together for about a year-and-a-half in an, at times, “turbulent” relationship.

At 8.30am that morning, they were in bed together, Ms Davies said.

“The complainer believed the accused had been cheating on her, so she searched his phone while he was asleep.

“She then confronted him.”

Rumbay called his girlfriend a “c***” and told her to shut up. He then said: “I’m going to f***ing kill you” and “I’m going to chop your legs off”.

Ms Davies said the witness was “shaken” and called her friend for advice. The friend contacted police and officers arrived after Rumgay had left to find the woman in a visible state of distress.

Rumgay, 23, was later spoken to by police and admitted that he had made the threats.

Defence agent Kirsty Watson said Rumgay, of Dundee, had problems with drug-taking, in particular cocaine.

She said her client explained his girlfriend had thrown his phone at him that morning but he accepted that was “no way to resolve the situation.”

Sheriff William Wood told Rumgay he was a young man with a limited criminal record.
“You have been remorseful,” he said.

He placed him on a “low tariff” structured deferred sentence, with a progress review next month.

Head stamp

Tyler Cheape, who attacked a drunken stranger, stamped on his head and then filmed him lying on the ground soaked in blood, has been jailed. The repeat offender from Fife launched the unprovoked attack on the man as he enjoyed a night out with friends in Perthshire last month.

Failed to engage

A career criminal who carried out midnight raids on two Perth city restaurants has been given a final chance to avoid prison time.

Ronald Reilly broke into Monterey Jack’s and the Sandeman just days after being released from prison.

He was caught on CCTV lugging a safe down an alleyway.

When Reilly, 44, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court in December he admitted the break-ins on May 10 and 12 2025.

At the time, he told the court he was sick of his drug-fuelled lifestyle and was ready to change but when he returned to the dock this week for a community payback review, it emerged he had stopped engaging with support workers.

Reilly, who was handed a six-month home curfew order for the raids, had been going through a “bad period,” his lawyer David Duncan said.

“His position is that he isn’t getting the support he requires. He is trying his best, but he acknowledges he has been struggling.

“He does not want to relinquish the services that are being offered to him.”

Sheriff William Wood asked: “Presumably prison is not his chosen option?”

Mr Duncan said that his client would view jail as a “backward step”.

The sheriff said the progress report suggested “all was not lost” and told Reilly: “You are not going to get the support you need if you’re not engaging anymore.”

Calling for a further review in four weeks, Sheriff Wood told Reilly: “I’m prepared to give you a final opportunity.”

Crashed Mini

A 30-year-old man who was more than three times the drink-drive limit when he crashed into a fence in Dunfermline has been fined £600 and banned from the road for one year.

James Suttie, of the city’s Abel Place, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court to plead  guilty to driving on Dunlin Drive with excess alcohol in his system (75mics/22) on July 4 this year.

Prosecutor Brogan Moffat told the court it was around 1.10pm when police received a call reporting two males were seen staggering around the road then entering a Mini Cooper.

A further call stated the same car had been driven off road into a fence on Dunlin Drive and three males were seen leaving it.

Police traced the trio a short time later, walking west along the same road and Suttie identified himself as the driver.

Defence lawyer Amy Harley said Suttie was meant to get a lift to attend an event in Dundee with friends but decided to drive a short distance to where he would be collected.

Ms Harley said her client regrets it and knows he is lucky no one was injured.

Road rage

A motorcyclist was attacked with a snooker cue by furious driver Glen Reeve during a chaotic road rage incident on the A90 near its Kingsway junction in Dundee. Reeve told his trial at Dundee Sheriff Court he was not an “angry driver” and insisted he acted in self-defence but was found guilty by a sheriff of assault.

Knife recovered

Quick-thinking officers uncovered a Bowie knife from a man after intercepting an alleged drug deal.

Lucas Da Silva previously admitted possessing the weapon – which was described in court papers as a machete – on July 16 in Perth city centre.

Police came across the 22-year-old on North Port along with three other males.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard two of the men were “known drug users” who appeared involved in an “exchange”.

The knife was discovered after applying handcuffs to Da Silva.

He previously pled guilty to possessing the weapon and providing a false name to police while on two bail orders.

Da Silva has several previous convictions from England including two for possession of bladed articles in London and Hertfordshire youth courts.

Sheriff James Williamson handed down a 20-month sentence on the HMP Edinburgh prisoner.

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