A solicitor who chairs a community council has appeared in court in connection with the alleged sabotage of a mass cycling event at the weekend.

Lawyer and church elder Alexander Grosset has been accused of scattering carpet tacks along the roads being used by 3,500 cyclists on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Grosset is alleged to have shown complete disregard for the safety of participants in the Etape Caledonia event, as well as pedestrians who were spectating.

He was arrested on Monday evening at his home near Bridge of Gaur and appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday afternoon.

Mr Grosset appeared in private on a petition alleging that he scattered tacks on a section of the road and damaged a number of bicycles and emergency vehicles as a result.

The 62-year-old made no plea or declaration during the two minute hearing and the case was continued for further examination by Sheriff Michael Fletcher.

Appearing from cells in beige slacks and a lilac shirt, Mr Grosset was granted bail. He was represented by solicitor Sally McKenzie, who declined afterwards to say whether or not he was still practising with the Fife-based personal injury legal firm which bears his family name.

The single charge against Mr Grosset alleges that between 16 and 17 May he acted in a way which showed complete disregard for the safety of competitors and pedestrians.

He is alleged to have culpably and recklessly deposited a quantity of tacks onto the surface of the public road, namely the unclassified road between Kinloch Rannoch and Tomphubil, and the B846 between Tomphubil and Aberfeldy.

The charge states that the road was being used for a closed road cycle event and that Mr Grosset's actions caused damage to bicycles, emergency service vehicles and other associated vehicles.

Grosset, of Tighnacoille, Bridge of Gaur, has been chairman of the Rannoch and Tummel Community Council and is also a church elder.

He is also a member of Pitlochry Rotary Club and officers from Tayside Police have been questioning other Rotarians in the area as part of the on-going investigation. Mr Grosset's wife, Veronica, a retired midwife, was at court.

Sunday afternoon's race is the largest closed road cycling event in the UK and attracted a total of 3,500 cyclists to tackle the 81-mile course.

A number of cyclists sustained punctures during the event and road had to be closed for an hour and a half while it was cleared and made safe.

Organisers of the event, which aims to raise over £200,000 for a cancer charity, have already vowed to return to Perthshire next year despite the incident.

The event has attracted controversy with a number of local groups protesting about enforced closures of roads in the area for around eight hours.

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