Warrant for Greens’ twin after court no-show

Richard Greens eventually arrived late, but by then the sheriff in the case had issued the warrant and refused to change his mind.

Greens, from Penicuik, Midlothian, responded by calmly walking out of Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

The 35-year-old and his co-accused wife, Lee, 32, were due to be sentenced for assaulting a man and breaking his leg on New Year’s Day, and reset, which took place on December 12 last year.

His twin brother, Robert, was jailed in 2005 after raping a student at Rosslyn Chapel, Midlothian, and is currently out on supervision, living in a property near Bonnyrigg, amid protests from angry neighbours.

An online group called Get Robert Greens Out of Midlothian has attracted thousands of members from across the world.

Police have twice closed the rural road leading to his cottage as hundreds of protesters marched on the property.

At yesterday’s hearing, before Sheriff William Holligan, Richard and Lee Greens were not present when the case was called.

Lee Greens’ lawyer, Ross Gallagher, told the court he had been unable to contact the pair.

He said that despite the help of another lawyer: “We haven’t been able to make contact with either of the accused.”

The sheriff then issued an arrest warrant for the pair.

Just minutes after the case adjourned, the lawyer bumped into the clients, who were apparently waiting outside the wrong court.

The couple were led into Sheriff Holligan’s court, but he was no longer on the bench.

The pair took seats in the public gallery while Richard Greens’ lawyer, Murray Robertson, asked the clerk of the court if the sheriff would recall the arrest warrant.

The clerk spoke to the sheriff on the phone before telling Mr Robertson the warrant would not be recalled.

The couple, on being told of the decision outside the court, left immediately, flashing their middle fingers at a photographer outside.

His lawyer confirmed Greens had left after the sheriff refused to withdraw the warrant.

Richard and Lee Greens ended up in court after a Hogmanay party at a relative’s house.

Richard was called Robert by another guest and flew into a rage. The father-of-five threw Garry Campbell down the stairs so hard his shin bone broke through his skin.

Lee Greens then kicked the man’s broken leg. She accused him of being a “drama queen” and “waggled” the broken limb three or four times, fiscal depute Karen Rollo told an earlier hearing, though the man was screaming in pain.

They both admitted the assault charge in January and the reset charge last month.

The pair were arrested at their home days after the attack, where police found items which had been stolen during a housebreaking.