Inverness Sheriff Court saw a huge mix of criminal business in April. Here's our recap of some of the cases that made the headlines last month. An 18-year-old Inverness man has appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court on a charge of attempted murder following an alleged incident in a popular Inverness nightspot at the weekend. Finlay Laird was charged with the attempted murder of another patron of Johnny Foxes in Bank Street, Inverness. • READ MORE: Inverness attempted murder charge for teen with glass at Johnny Foxes A mother-of-four who stabbed the man she believed responsible for "trashing her house the night before" stole a phone and £320 from her victim. Drug-fuelled Clare Potts, of Lochalsh Road, Inverness took a taxi to Ross Grant's property in Lawers Way, Inverness on the night of August 3, 2023, barged in and stabbed her half-asleep victim on the thighs while sitting on top of him. • READ MORE: Inverness woman stabbed half-asleep victim on thighs while sitting on him A man who thought he was communicating with a girl under the age of 13, was actually speaking to an undercover police officer. Calum Thomson (61) sent sexual written communications to a girl he believed to be called “Lara”, uttered sexual remarks regarding clothing and underwear and asked the “girl” to send images of herself. • READ MORE: Inverness pervert who thought he was asking child for pictures — but was speaking to undercover police officer — gets unpaid work A 24-year-old Lockerbie man who was caught by police in Inverness city centre with replicas of pistols James Bond used to execute his licence to kill will be sentenced next month. Morton Boldock, of Margaret Drive, appeared on indictment at Inverness Sheriff Court to face a jury trial but pleaded guilty to having the blank firing replica of a Beretta semi automatic pistol without lawful authority or reasonable excuse in the High Street on April 21 last year. • READ MORE: McDonald’s Inverness police halt led to Lockerbie man being found with firearms Police were involved in a 13-hour long cat and mouse pursuit of a 36-year-old Inverness woman who drove at speeds of over 100mph and weaved in and out of traffic on the wrong side of the road to evade capture. The drama unfolded from 2.45am of December 6 last year when police saw Samantha Stewart, of Galloway Drive, Smithton acting suspiciously with two men at the Esso filling station in the Longman industrial estate and discovered that the VW Golf she was in was not covered by insurance. • READ MORE: A9 dangerous driving Inverness woman jailed after series of Highland incidents The breakdown of a romance led a 28-year-old Inverness man to download over 2000 images of child abuse on his mobile phone, Inverness Sheriff Court heard. Connor Goodall, of Warrand Road, was appearing for sentence after a background report and an assessment for a sex offenders’ rehabilitation programme had been prepared for Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald to consider. • READ MORE: Inverness man downloaded thousands of images of child abuse A few drinks before taking a repaired motorcycle out for a test run almost cost a Latvian man his life when he was involved in a serious crash in the Carse industrial estate and spent four months in hospital. While 44-year-old machine operator Janis Erdmanis, of Kessock Avenue, Inverness was being treated police obtained blood samples from him and it showed that he had 126mgs of alcohol when the legal limit is 50mgs. • READ MORE: Inverness drinker still recovering after motorcycle crash led to 4 months in hospital A 22-year-old Inverness man who threatened to kill "the love of his life" and burn her mother's house down has avoided a jail sentence and ordered to stay away from the woman for seven-and-a-half years. But Scott Smith, who was described as an Inverness prisoner, got a stern warning from Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald when he appeared before her for sentence that he would "go straight back to jail if there is one slip-up in this community-based disposal". • READ MORE: Inverness Sheriff Court orders man to stay away from ‘love of his life’ for 7.5 years An Inverness man who threatened to “beat” his former lover and “cut up” her relatives after the couple had separated was jailed for 15 months. Craig MacLeod, of the city’s Thornbush Road, was also banned from approaching or contacting his ex-partner after he previously admitted behaving in a threatening manner on two occasions in June 2022 and January 2023. • READ MORE: Inverness man jailed after threatening to ‘beat’ former lover A man left unattended by his carer while he went to the toilet sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl inside an Inverness shop. Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Philip Mackenzie (35) pulled the girl into the disabled toilet inside The Range on Eastfield Way, Inverness on February 2 last year, began pushing her to the floor and pulled her onto his lap. • READ MORE: Man left unattended by his carer sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl inside an Inverness shop A lorry driver who shouted abuse at another motorist after being taken to task for cutting in front of a car was described as "arrogant, obnoxious and a bully" by a sheriff. Kirk Redmond, of Allandale Cottages, Allandale near Falkirk, had been driving his HGV in Longman Road, Inverness on January 23 and was stopped at traffic lights. • READ MORE: Inverness road incident leads to lorry driver being branded ‘arrogant, obnoxious and a bully’ A newly qualified driver was dared to do a wheel spin just two days after passing his test when a group of young motorists met at an Inverness car park. Sawmill worker, 19-year-old Jack Rennie of Kings Court, Beauly managed to carry out the technique for five seconds but he was seen by police who had been alerted to the antisocial motoring behaviour. • READ MORE: Inverness car park wheel spin ends with teen getting driving ban A 46-year-old heroin addict went on a shoplifting spree to fund his habit, Inverness Sheriff Court was told. Clive Topping, of Bruce Gardens, Inverness appeared before Sheriff Neil Wilson for sentencing on a total of five charges of theft from city shops between July last year and March this year. • READ MORE: Lidl, M&S, Spar and Co-op hit by Inverness heroin addict’s shoplifting spree A first offender who committed a violent attack on an off-duty police officer who had intervened in an Inverness city centre disturbance was told she was only avoiding a prison sentence because she had reached the age of 30 without offending. But Sheriff Neil Wilson warned Demi MacLennan of the city's Union Street: "You are on the cusp of being sent to prison. This was an unprovoked attack." • READ MORE: Inverness woman kicked off-duty police officer on her head A 20-year-old Inverness man has been sentenced to 22 months in detention after he went on an armed robbery rampage for three months last summer wielding a baseball bat, hammer and a screwdriver to threaten four of his victims. Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Daniel Krogulec, whose address was given as Inverness Prison, was 19 when he committed three of his offences with another three carried out days after his 20th birthday on August 2 last year. • READ MORE: Inverness robber who threatened couple with hammer jailed for 22 months A woman who went on a seven week long shoplifting spree in one shop has been banned from entering the store. Alyce Robinson (26) of Gowanbrae Crescent, Rosemarkie, appeared before Sheriff Gary Aitken and admitted a total of 10 charges of theft from the Smyths toy store in Rose Street, Inverness between September 17 and November 6 last year. • READ MORE: Woman stole more than £2000 worth of toys from Inverness store An Inverness American football coach who “manipulated and tricked” two teenage boys into posing for naked photos and videos has been jailed. Robert Paulin of Canal Road, Inverness, groomed the young Highland Wildcats players – then aged 15 and 17 – over a period of years, before paying them to pose under the pretence of making a sex education film. • READ MORE: Inverness American football coach jailed for paying two teenage boys to pose naked for photos and videos while with Highland Wildcats A woman enjoying an Inverness-shire music festival was shocked when her breasts were grabbed twice by a fellow audience member that she did not know. Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the victim retreated to another part of the Beauly Holiday Park to join her husband and friends but was followed, and 47-year-old Andrew MacLean who carried out the same sexual assault in front of her stunned and angry spouse. • READ MORE: Highland man indecently assaulted woman in front of husband at music festival A former Inverness church relief organist who was twice jailed for possessing vast amounts of indecent images and videos of children being abused has avoided a prison sentence after admitting having photos of young undressed girls displayed on a shelf in his bedroom. Iain McIntyre (52), of Nelson Street, Inverness but who formerly stayed in Tain's Mansfield Estate, previously appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to possessing a total of 15 printed photos on January 10 last year. Sentence was deferred for a background report. • READ MORE: ‘He should have known better’ - former church relief organist sentenced for having photos of undressed girls A member of an organised north of England crime group known as 'Scouse Jack' which has been flooding the Highlands with strong drugs since September 2019 has been jailed for 43 months at Inverness Sheriff Court. Two others including a vulnerable Inverness man, who was recruited by the gang to help them sell drugs and gather payment in the Highlands, have already been sentenced after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of drugs. • READ MORE: ‘Scouse Jack’ drugs gang member jailed for supplying heroin and cocaine to Inverness, Nairn and Aviemore Two men have appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court accused of the attempted murder of a 19-year-old man in the Hilton area of Inverness at the weekend. Liam Miller (24), who was represented by Inverness solicitor John MacColl, and 19-year-old Liam McAllister, represented by lawyer Marc Dickson, made no plea and were committed for further examination. • READ MORE: Inverness attempted murder charge for duo