Dundee man in court for 'recklessly producing household electricity' Published duration 14 December 2012

image caption Charles McKenzie is alleged to have built a home-made generator in his flat at Dudhope Court

Lawyers for a Dundee man accused of "recklessly producing household electricity" have branded the charges against him "irrelevant and incompetent".

Charles McKenzie is alleged to have rigged up a "dangerous transformer assembly" at his Dundee flat.

At Dundee Sheriff Court, Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison said the charges were "a little unspecific".

A debate hearing has been set for 10 January.

The court was told Mr McKenzie is alleged to have "culpably and recklessly" produced electricity at his Dudhope Court home "with total disregard for the safety of himself and others".

Unspecific charge

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that prosecutors allege he rigged up a "man-made assembly in his house suspended from the ceiling by thin ropes, with a car battery and cans of petrol nearby".

Mike Short, defending, told the court: "I challenge the charge as it presently stands - there is a plea to its competence and relevancy.

"No crime is described known to the law of Scotland and no relative narrative to who is endangered is there either. You have to be more specific under the law."

Mr McKenzie, 55, was not in court to face the charge of culpable and reckless conduct.

Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison said: "It does look more than a little unspecific to me. There will be a debate on this."