UNJUST DESSERTS
LIVERPOOL CABBIE CAUGHT WITH OVER £33,000 CASH IN HIS CAB IS SPARED JAIL
A cabbie caught with more than £33,000 in cash in the back of his cab after police set up a sting operation has been spared jail. The Daily Record reports that Perth Sheriff Court was told that the under- cover surveillance was planned to combat drug dealing by an organised crime group from Liverpool. A team of four officers kept watch on a string of shops in Darnhall’s Glengarry Road - and it led to the arrest of 58- year-old David Worley. But he escaped a custodial sentence on Wednesday 28 July after his lawyer said “undue pressure” had been exerted on him by the criminal fraternity. Sheriff J. Craig McSherry also noted
that he was a first offender and imposed a high-end community payback order as a “direct alternative” to time behind bars. Worley will have to complete 300 hours of unpaid work in the next 18 months after he admitted contravening the 2002 Proceeds of Crime Act. He admitted that on September 10, 2020, he received “criminal property” in the form of cash - and then concealed and transferred it. Depute fiscal Marie Irvine told the court: “Over a period of months, intelli- gence was received by Police Scotland that a Liverpool-based organised crime group was concerned in the supply of controlled drugs.”
Worley was the target of the covert operation and he was identified as the driver of a Ford Focus travelling north on the A9, towards Perth. It then parked near the shops in Glengarry Road and a Suzuki Swift, with two men in it drove past. One of the males carrying a bag was then seen entering the back of the Focus and getting out without the bag. Solicitor David Sinclair said the accused, from Liverpool, was a first offender and had driven taxis for 26 years. “What has occurred is a result of undue pressure being exerted on him. He’s a man who is quite suggestible and easily influenced,” he added.
EDINBURGH AIRPORT WORKER TRIES TO BITE CABBIE ON FACE AFTER DRUNKEN NIGHT OUT
An Edinburgh Airport worker attempted to bite his cabbie and assault him after he was unable to pay for his fare. EdinburghLive reports that Alan Harkins appeared in Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday 2 September, after the sudden attack on the driver, which resulted in him receiving hospital treatment. Travelling from the city centre to Leith, the 42-year-old admitted assaulting the driver and threatening or abusive behaviour after he hit him over the head with a phone. Fiscal depute Christine Brownlie stated that the encounter had begun when Harkins had got into Francis Mc- Donald's taxi at Picardy Place. After arriving in his chosen destination, Harkins was said to allege he was at the wrong destination, before his bank card was declined. According to the Daily Record, Harkins asked to be driven elsewhere to find a friend who could pay the fare for him
80
and soon became “abusive”.
In a sudden attack, Harkins had called his driver a “f***ing dirty b*****d” and a “f***ing c***”, the court was told, before he started to kick the taxi’s Perspex partition and seats.
As the situation escalated, Ms Brownlie said Francis pulled over and got out alongside his passenger. She said Harkins “lunged towards” the driver, putting his arms around his neck and “attempted to bite him to the face”. The pair fell to the ground, she said, and there was a violent struggle with Harkins punching Francis to the face, bursting his lip. Harkins struck the victim to the head with his phone, opening another cut, while Francis also suffered grazes to his
hand and knee. Ms Brownlie said the cabbie went to hospital for treatment following the incident on March 15 2019. Defence agent Ruairidh Mulheron said Harkins had been “drinking heavily” at various pubs with a pal. Mr Mulheron said his client alleged he’d asked to be driven to Buchanan Street, near his Leith home, but was taken to Balfour Street instead. The solicitor said Harkins, a first offender, was “absolutely horrified by his behaviour”, adding: “He finds it hard to believe he acted in such a manner.” Mr Mulheron said Harkins worked in customer services at the airport and it was “almost certain” he would lose his employment due to the criminal conviction. Sheriff Peter McCormack told Harkins it was “an inexplicable one-off incident which seems to have been caused by alcohol”. He ordered him to pay £800 in compensation to the victim.
OCTOBER 2021
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98
