MICHAEL MACKIE CAUSES HAVOC IN PERTH: STREETS OF SOUTH STREET AND HOSPITAL STREET TURN VIOLENT

A man from Perth, Michael Mackie, has been subjected to legal penalties after a series of disturbing incidents that unfolded in the city’s streets, leaving a woman injured and in distress. The events, which took place over the course of several months, highlight a pattern of harassment and violence that has shocked the local community.

According to court records, Mackie, aged 32, began a relationship with a woman in May of the previous year. However, by August, their relationship had deteriorated significantly, culminating in a breakup that was described as a complete breakdown of their connection. Despite the end of their relationship, Mackie persisted in making unwanted contact with the woman, causing her considerable alarm and fear.

Prosecutor Klaudia Wasilewska detailed to Edinburgh Sheriff Court that Mackie repeatedly contacted the woman through various means, including phone calls and social media messages. The woman, who had explicitly asked him to cease all communication, was forced to block his number and restrict his access on her social media accounts. Despite these measures, Mackie continued to call her at all hours, including late at night, at her residence in Wallyford. His persistent attempts to reach her did not stop there; he also made contact with her new partner and her sister via social media platforms, in a clear effort to communicate with her against her wishes.

Witnesses and the police reports confirmed that Mackie’s behavior caused the woman to feel threatened and distressed. The situation escalated when Mackie’s harassment extended beyond direct contact; he was reported to have contacted her friends and family, further intensifying her fear. The police were eventually involved after the woman’s reports of harassment became too serious to ignore.

During the court proceedings, Mackie’s defense lawyer, Mark Hutchison, explained that his client was “upset at the break-up” and that his repeated attempts to contact the woman stemmed from a desire to reconcile, as he “essentially wanted her back.” Mr. Hutchison acknowledged that Mackie had found it difficult to accept the end of their relationship but emphasized that he now understood there was no chance of resuming it, especially since the woman had moved on with a new partner.

In response, Sheriff Kenneth Campbell KC expressed his satisfaction with handling the case without the need for social work reports, given the circumstances. Mackie was fined £470 and was issued a non-harassment order that prohibits him from having any contact with the woman for the next three years. Mackie pleaded guilty to charges of threatening and abusive behavior, which involved repeatedly contacting the woman, her new partner, and her family between August 6 and September 14 of the previous year, despite being explicitly told to stop.

In a separate and more violent incident, a woman in Perth was left with a broken wrist after being attacked twice in the early hours in the city center. The first assault occurred in South Street, where she was pushed against a car, resulting in her wrist injury. Moments later, in nearby Hospital Street, she was pinned against a wall and subjected to sexually explicit threats. The woman, visibly distressed and in tears, was found in a shop doorway after calling a friend for help.

The attackers involved in these assaults were identified as 19-year-old Michael Mackie, of High Street, Blairgowrie, and 18-year-old Kevin Bryant, of Viewfield Place, Burrelton. Both men are scheduled to appear at Perth Sheriff Court on September 22 for sentencing, after social inquiry and community service reports are completed. Both offenders were warned that their actions could result in a custodial sentence due to the serious nature of their crimes.

Details of the incidents reveal that Mackie admitted to pushing the woman in South Street on March 1 of the previous year, which caused her to fall and sustain a severe injury to her wrist. The prosecution had initially alleged that the injury was permanent, but this claim was later dropped. Meanwhile, Bryant admitted to grabbing the woman in Hospital Street, pushing her against a wall, touching her bottom, and making explicit threats, including a statement that he intended to “f*** her.”

The victim, who had been out drinking with a friend, was walking along St John Street around 11:45 pm when she encountered the two men. Mackie, who had been out separately that evening, later approached her from behind, pushed her into a vehicle, and caused her to fall. She was upset and told him, “I think you have f***ing broken my wrist. F*** off.”

Subsequently, Bryant approached her in Hospital Street, pushed her into a wall, and pinned her against it, preventing her from moving. He then touched her bottom and made the sexual threat. The woman, crying and frightened, pleaded for him to stop but managed to escape when another person came along the street. She called a taxi, which found her distressed and in tears. Although she initially declined medical treatment, she later had her wrist casted but removed it herself before attending a follow-up appointment.

Both accused are currently on bail with conditions that prohibit any contact with the victim, pending their court appearances. The legal proceedings will continue next month, with pleas to be entered by their respective solicitors, as the community awaits the final judgment on these serious offenses.