ALEX STEELE FROM FORFAR FACES REMAND AFTER INCIDENT INVOLVING DOG AND YOUNG GIRLS

An incident involving a resident of Forfar has led to serious legal consequences for Alexander Steele, who is now set to spend his upcoming birthday in custody. Steele, a local man residing on Restenneth Drive, was remanded by a sheriff at Forfar after failing to appear promptly for a scheduled court hearing related to multiple charges against him.

Despite living in close proximity to the court, Steele arrived late for his hearing, which prompted the judge to revoke an earlier arrest warrant and instead place him on remand two days before his 48th birthday. This decision was made during proceedings at Forfar, where Steele faced allegations of breaching the peace, threatening young girls, and allowing his dog to chase and attack a minor.

The charges stem from an incident that took place near Steele’s residence on May 9. It is alleged that Steele behaved in a threatening manner towards three 13-year-old girls, shouting and swearing at them in a manner deemed intimidating. During this confrontation, he allegedly let his Staffordshire Bull Terrier off its lead, which then chased one of the girls and physically grabbed her arm, ripping her jacket in the process.

In addition to the dog-related incident, Steele has denied other serious allegations, including headbutting, punching, and banging one of the young girls’ heads against a wall. The assault charges specify that Steele grabbed the girl by the neck, struck her with his head, punched her on the head, shoved her, and then grabbed her by the hair and neck before forcefully banging her head against a wall, causing injury.

Furthermore, Steele is accused of threatening behavior on the same day, which involved shouting and swearing at two of the girls, pointing his finger aggressively in one girl’s face, and making threats of violence. These actions are alleged to have created a threatening and abusive environment near his home.

During the court proceedings on Tuesday morning, Sheriff Gregor Murray issued an arrest warrant after Steele failed to appear. Over an hour later, Steele arrived at the court, but his demeanor in the dock raised concerns. Defense solicitor Nick Markowski explained that Steele’s appearance was affected by the effects of prescribed medications, including methadone and gabapentin, which he claimed would diminish as the day progressed. Markowski also stated that Steele had been caught in a downpour on his way to court and had stopped to dry off.

Despite these explanations, Sheriff Murray expressed understanding of the difficulties faced by individuals on methadone prescriptions but emphasized the importance of punctuality, especially given Steele’s proximity to the court. The sheriff noted that this was Steele’s second failure to appear, which contributed to the decision to remand him in custody until his trial scheduled for October 10.