Several serious cases linked to Ayr and wider Ayrshire have featured in the courts this week, including an axe attack in the town, racist abuse at a barber shop and the return to custody of a registered sex offender.
The cases were heard across Ayr and Kilmarnock sheriff courts, as well as the High Court in Glasgow, and were included in a weekly round-up published by the Ayr Advertiser.
Cases heard at Ayr Sheriff Court
Adrian McGhee, from Cumnock, was jailed after attacking a man with an axe in Ayr. He pleaded guilty to assault to injury, possessing an offensive weapon, and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner. His plea was made while he appeared from custody for a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday, August 19.
Joseph Rae, described in the source as an ex-soldier, also appeared for a brief pre-trial hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court. He pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and assault to severe injury after making threats and shouting racist abuse in an Ayr barber shop. The report also states that he later bit a police officer and said he had Hepatitis C.
Reece Wylie, from Buckfast-fuelled circumstances according to the source report, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court after an assault on his partner in Auchinleck. He pleaded guilty to assault and threatening or abusive behaviour. The source states that the incident happened in front of young children and that he remains in custody.
Sex-offender breach
Charles Lee, also known as Edward Taylor, was recalled into custody after pleading guilty to breaching sex-offender registration requirements. The report says he had previously been jailed for sending indecent images and messages to someone he believed was a child, including the statement “age is just a number”. It adds that the messages were sent from an address on Ayr’s Main Street and elsewhere.
Lee was due to return to court in connection with the breach. The source does not provide a new sentence or hearing date for that matter.
Other Ayrshire cases
The round-up also covered a murder-attempt case involving an attack at a home on Greenhead Avenue in Stevenston on October 28 last year. Michael Fisher repeatedly struck Gordon McGregor with a razor blade and screwdriver, and later claimed he had “carved him up like a turkey”, according to the report.
Two North Ayrshire men were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow after admitting they were concerned in the supply of controlled drugs. Mark Rodger was jailed, while Mark Hardie was spared custody.
The cases form part of a wider weekly court report. The supplied article directs readers to separate reports for further details on the individual proceedings.
