Case against two policemen facing abduction charges is continued
A SHERIFF continued the case today of two north policemen facing abduction charges to a further intermediate hearing at Tain Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist heard one of the officers, PC Robert Ovenstone, had difficulties over his insurance to fund his defence team because he had changed his agents.
But solicitor Alison Foggo told Sheriff Gilchrist the matter had now been resolved and an Ombudsman had found against Ovenstone’s insurers and that they must fund the current agents.
However Ms Foggo said Ovenstone still needed to instruct counsel on the matter and she asked for the further intermediate diet.
PC Stuart Kelman (30) and PC Ovenstone (31), deny abducting two girls on July 19, 2011, and taking them to a barn at Balintraid Farm, Delny, near Invergordon. It is alleged the girls were compelled to stand in animal manure and made to walk down a farm track, shoeless.
Both officers have also been charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm to the girls, both aged 15, when they were handcuffed.
It is alleged the officers told the girls they had previously taken a person to the barn and that person had lost three teeth against a wall.
The charge also alleges that they told the girls if they did not behave they would suffer the same fate, and they threatened the girls that they would have to walk home in darkness in their stocking soles.
In a further allegation, on the same date, Ovenstone is charged with behaving in a threatening manner towards a 13-year-old boy, threatening to strike him with his police baton and presenting the baton at him.
Sheriff Gilchrist fixed a new intermediate diet for May 20.