Altnabreac couple make no plea over alleged level crossing incident
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Nearby residents at a Caithness railway station have appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court on charges including endangering the life of staff and passengers and interfering with the running of the network by standing on the track.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the incidents were all alleged to have taken place at Altnabreac level crossing on March 1 this year.
Ian Appleby (46), of the Station Cottage at Altnabreac, appeared before Sheriff Ian Cruickshank and made no plea to all the accusations including of ignoring warning signs and trespassing on Network Rail land in dangerous proximity to the line.
The other charges were, while acting with another, culpably and recklessly standing on the tracks in the path of the oncoming train to the risk of injury and danger of life to you, the passengers and staff on the train; and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person fear and alarm in that you did shout, swear and utter abusive comments towards two police constables.
His partner, 48-year-old Elizabeth Howie, a former police officer, also appeared on similar charges to which she made no plea. The charges were trespassing in dangerous proximity to a Network Rail track; maliciously interfering with the running of the railway track by standing on it and bringing trains to a halt; obstructing British Transport Police officers in the execution of their duty and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Both were committed for further examination and released on bail to appear again in court in the due course of law.
