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Man obsessed with Highland home of 'wickedest man in the world' struggled with police after refusing to leave


By Ali Morrison

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Inverness Justice Centre.
Inverness Justice Centre.

A homeless man who is obsessed with the Highland home of the self-proclaimed "wickedest man in the world", Aleister Crowley, will be sentenced next month.

Panagiotis Pierrakos was banned by an Inverness Sheriff Court order from going to within 8.7 miles of Boleskine House, overlooking Loch Ness.

After two devastating fires in 2015 and 2019, it is the subject of a £1.2 million renovation project supervised by Keith Readdy, who along with his wife Kyra, had been frequently pestered by Pierrakos last year.

The B-listed building was previously owned by occultist Crowley, who allegedly practised black magic there, and by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.

It was bought by the Readdys in 2019 who plan to turn it into a visitor attraction.

On one occasion, Pierrakos assaulted Ms Readdy at the door of the Gate Lodge where the couple live.

But on December 1, the 48-year-old went to the Foyers property in contravention of his bail order and refused to leave.

Fiscal depute Allison Young told Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood that the Readdys saw him walking up to the main building which is being renovated.

"Ms Readdy headed up there to warn two other people working on the building. He was told he shouldn’t be there. He was fidgeting and acting strangely and then picked up a plastic pole.

"They weren’t sure what he was going to do with it. And then asked a strange question: ‘Are you having fun?

"They negotiated with him to leave, gave him a cigarette and he put down the pole. He was reported to police."

The court heard that Pierrakos then struggled with police when they arrived. He lashed out with his arms and legs and attempted to bite the officers.

Pierrakos admitted threatening behaviour and resisting arrest.

He also pleaded guilty to spitting on an officer’s face in Raigmore Hospital on May 20, 2020 – a few days after appearing in court for returning to Boleskine House.

Defence solicitor Natalie Paterson suggested that a new background report would be required on her client and made no application for bail.

Sheriff Fleetwood deferred sentence until May 13 and Ms Paterson reserved her comments until then.


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