Jail threat after accused fails to show

A SHERIFF offered to solve an accused's problems with being made homeless – by locking him up.

Sheriff Graeme Fleming QC yesterday bluntly told John Ramage that he did not believe the excuses his lawyer had made for his failure to appear at a hearing on 21 April.

He told the youth: "Your excuses are not really good enough. You have a lackadaisical approach to court."

Ramage, 17, who gave his current address in court as Hobart Street, Livingston, denied breaching bail conditions by entering Langton Terrace, East Calder and approaching resident Alan Clarkson.

He also pleaded not guilty to throwing stones at a window and kicking a door at Mr Clarkson's home.

His solicitor, Hazel McGuinness, claimed Ramage had "lost track" of the date he was due to appear before the sheriff because he had a number of other court appearances. She also claimed he suffered a painful health problem, his mother had fallen ill and he had become homeless around the time of the scheduled appearance.

Sheriff Fleming remarked: "You realise we could solve his homeless problem by locking him up."

Ramage was granted bail and trial fixed for August.