Greek man obsessed with Boleksine House on the shores of Loch Ness promises never to go there again
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Despite his promise to stay away from Boleskine House Panagiotis Pierrakos was jailed after Inverness Sheriff Court heard how he spat in a police officer's face.
Panagiotis Pierrakos had already breached an order banning him from going to within 8.7 miles of Boleskine House, overlooking Loch Ness.
But when the 49-year-old appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court by video link for sentencing on a variety of offences, including the breach of the special bail condition, his lawyer, Natalie Paterson, said her client had promised not to flout the instruction again.
After hearing the details, Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald imposed a non harassment order spanning five years, preventing Pierrakos going within five miles of the property.
She also jailed him for a total of 68 weeks backdated to December 2, when he was remanded in custody.
His earliest release date is approximately the end of July/ beginning of August.
After two devastating fires in 2015 and 2019, Boleskine House has been undergoing a £1.2 million renovation project supervised by Keith and Kyra Readdy, who were frequently pestered by Pierrakos last year.
He is also banned from contacting or approaching them.
The B listed building was previously owned by occultist Aleister Crowley, who allegedly practised black magic there, and by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.
It was bought by the Readdys in 2019, who plan to turn it into a visitor attraction.
On December 1 last year Pierrakos went to the Foyers property in contravention of his bail order and refused to leave.
Fiscal depute Rowena Carlton told Sheriff Macdonald that the Readdys saw him walking up to the main building, which is being renovated.
"Mr Readdy headed up there to warn two other people working on the building," she said.
"Pierrakos was told he shouldn't be there. He was fidgeting and acting oddly and then picked up a plastic pole.
"They weren't sure what he was going to do with it. He then asked a strange question: 'are you having fun?' It has been a year since we met, I like to see the progress of the place.'
"They negotiated with him to leave, gave him a cigarette and he put down the pole. Police arrived shortly afterwards."
The court heard that when officers arrived he struggled violently with them. He lashed out with his arms and legs, making contact and attempted to bite one officer on the arm.
Pierrakos admitted threatening behaviour and resisting arrest.
He also pleaded guilty to spitting on an officer's face in Raigmore Hospital on May 20, 2020, a few days after appearing in court for another visit to Boleskine House in breach of the order.
The court was told there were alcohol and substance abuse issues at the root of his offending. and that he understands he cannot go to Boleskine House or approach the Readdys and would comply with a non-harassment order.
Sheriff Macdonald told Pierrakos, who constantly interrupted proceedings: "Spitting in the face of a police officer is an appalling offence, particularly in these times."
