Man jailed for threats to Nicola Sturgeon and attack on sheriff

A man who posted online assassination threats about Nicola Sturgeon and assaulted a sheriff has been jailed for five years and ten months.

William Curtis, 67, from Aberchirder, Aberdeenshire, also threatened his former local MSP Stewart Stevenson.

Alongside another man, Philip Mitchell, Curtis was further convicted of assaulting and abducting sheriff Robert McDonald in a "citizen's arrest".

Mitchell was jailed for four years. Both men had denied the charges.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Curtis directed threatening online remarks towards the first minister that were discovered by her private office in Edinburgh in 2019.

He was found guilty of three charges of threatening and abusive behaviour towards the first minister and Mr Stevenson as well as to a former neighbour and local housing officer.

The trial heard of an initial "threatening" email from a "Billy Curtis" which Ms Sturgeon's office intercepted in February 2019.

There was also a Facebook post which had been passed on from Stewart Stevenson's office. This was in the name of William Patrick Curtis.

Jurors were read the posts which mentioned a "citizen's arrest" of Ms Sturgeon for "treason".

The crimes took place between February 2019 and October 2020 in Aberchirder.

Curtis and Mitchell were also convicted of the assault and abduction of Sheriff Robert McDonald in June 2021.

Mitchell wrestled the sheriff to the ground near to Banff Sheriff Court in Aberdeenshire before sitting on top of him. Curtis stood nearby filming on his phone while encouraging his accomplice.

The pair claimed the footage played to jurors had been "doctored" to make them appear guilty.

Lord Weir told Mitchell: "To anyone observing the footage, it must have been a frightening and humiliating experience.

"You are entirely unrepentant.

"What you did wasn't just an assault on Sheriff McDonald, it was an assault on law and order."

The judge said to Curtis: "The content of those messages was a complete disregard to the likely impact.

"The social worker offered an opinion that you have created a personal vendetta to those people in authority including MSPs and professionals in the criminal justice system.

"You too are entirely unrepentant."