Compared to 19th Century Berwick Crime reports Duns, this week, is pretty feeble stuff. Sheriff Kevin was nor presiding so perhaps he has fled the county until the elections are over. In his absence Sheriff Peter Anderson had a dullish week mostly dealing with offenders from Eyemouth. In one case a 27 yr Eyemouth Man was fined £100 for assaulting his 'partner'. Wife beating seems to be out in favour of partner busting. In this case his solicitor, in mitigation, explained that the accused was extremely drunk and as ' a result his relationship with his partner had broken down' The accused claimed he had no recollection of the assault. More serious was the £5,000 worth of damage to three cars by another Eyemouth man who was peeved over his a wife having a relationship with the cars (all three) owner. 'He was not able to control his emotions' said the solicitor-the same one as involved in the partner assault case who was having a busy week in court. And not just in Duns-he appeared in Jedburgh Sheriff's Court to defend a man accused of shouting and swearing in a Safeway car park (Yes, not yet Morrisons) His client he rather unkindly accused of 'Loutish Behaviour' His client was fined £150 and hopefully had enough change to pay his overworked lawyer.
.Back in Duns Yet another Eyemouth man was fined £900 for possessing drugs, carrying an offensive weapon and committing an breach of the peace in Eyemouth. That seems quite cheap compared to the damage to the three cars so perhaps he had a good solicitor as well. It may be that Breaches of the Peace in Eyemouth, not involving damage to property, are subject to a lower tariff than elsewhere owing to their frequent nature.
If we don't get a better class of crime in the Merse Huttoniam may be obliged to take his custom elsewhere.
