Sentences were passed in August for crimes including rape, embezzlement, animal abuse and assault.
A Fife councillor who groomed and sexually abused a vulnerable teenage girl at addresses in Edinburgh and Fife was jailed for 27 months. A businessman who terrorised two grey seal pups with a large wooden stick at a picturesque East Lothian harbour was ordered to pay a fine.
While, an Edinburgh man who was found guilty of raping two vulnerable teenagers on the same night was jailed indefinitely last month. And a businessman caught running a brothel from inside a notorious Edinburgh sauna was spared a jail sentence at court in August.
1. Violent domestic and sexual abuser jailed
A violent domestic abuser who carried out a savage campaign of attacks on his partner was sentenced on August 1 to the maximum term of five years in jail. Kamal Alaroush, 62, forced the woman to carry out sick sex acts on him and one shocking incident saw him point an air rifle at the terrified victim’s head. Alaroush assaulted the woman on numerous occasions during their relationship, constantly monitored the her movements and even dictated what food she could eat over a 16 month period. The “physical, emotional and sexual” abuse came to an end following a stand-off with police after a neighbour reported hearing screaming and shouting coming from the couple’s flat in Edinburgh in July 2020. Alaroush, a Libyan national, denied all the allegations but was found guilty by a jury following a four-day trial at the capital’s sheriff court earlier this year. | Alexander Lawrie
2. Former PE teacher in 27-year campaign of abuse against pupils
A former head teacher of physical education at a prestigious Edinburgh private school was found to have carried out a shocking 27 year campaign of abuse against pupils. John Young indecently assaulted three children by pulling their shorts aside and exposing their genitals while he was in charge of the PE department at the Edinburgh Academy. Young, a former international rugby referee, also assaulted pupils in his care by punching and slapping them and beat them with implements including a cricket bat and a megaphone. Evidence was heard from 24 former pupils during the hearing. Many told how they continue to be traumatised and struggle to trust figures of authority because of the abuse they suffered. Young was due to stand trial in front of a jury to face 54 charges including using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices, indecent assault, assault and committing a breach of the peace at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month. But the court determined the former teacher was physically unfit to stand trial due and an Examination of Facts hearing was held in his absence ove three weeks. Young, from Edinburgh, denied all the allegations against him that involved pupils aged between seven and 18-years-old. Sheriff Iain Nicol gave his deliberations to the court on Monday, where he said the facts relating to a total of 26 charges had been proved beyond reasonable doubt. The sheriff acquitted Young on the remaining 28 allegations. | Alexander Lawrie
3. Train station assault
A thug who has legally changed his name to Lucifer Of-Darkness punched a man unconscious in a train station toilet before admitting what he had done to police officers. Lucifer Of-Darkness left victim Christopher Jamieson lying out cold on the floor of the public convenience and with a bloodied face following the attack at Waverley station in Edinburgh earlier this year. The 41-year-old French national, previously known as Berkani Nahim, then handed himself in to British Transport Police officers claiming he was forced to strike the victim in self defence. He was arrested and charged with assault and stood trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in July after denying the offence but was subsequently found guilty by a sheriff. Of-Darkness returned to the dock for sentencing last month where lawyer Gordon Stewart said his client had been in Scotland for around three months before the assault and lives “a vagabond life”. Sheriff John Mundy sentenced Of-Darkness, from London, to a nine month jail term backdated to May 30. | Other 3rd party
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4. Man convinced autistic schoolgirl to send him sexual videos
A care home nurse who convinced an autistic schoolgirl to send him intimate videos of herself engaging in a sexual act was spared a jail sentence by “the narrowest of margins” in August. David Marsh, 60, coerced the “vulnerable” victim to record herself and send him the shocking footage after making contact with her on the Snapchat app. Marsh was also found to have downloaded thousands of horrific child abuse images and videos - including victims as young as two-years-old - to his mobile phones when police raided his home last year. The nurse was subsequently forced to move from his home after his car was vandalised and residents staged a protest outside his property following press coverage of the case. Marsh, from Dunbar, East Lothian, admitted both offences during a hearing at the capital’s sheriff court in July and returned to the dock for sentencing on August 7. Sheriff Fergus Thomson said after reading the reports and hearing the defence case he had “concluded in all the circumstances by the narrowest of margins that there is an alternative to custody here”. Marsh was placed under the supervision of the social work department for 12 months and ordered to carry out the maximum term allowed of 300 hours of unpaid work. Sheriff Thomson also placed the nurse on the sex offenders register for 12 months and issued a conduct requirement involving internet restrictions and a ban on contact with children under 18. The sheriff added Marsh’s would be passed to Scottish Ministers for inclusion on the list of those banned from working with children and vulnerable adults in the future. | Alexander Lawrie