Tag: fell within the category of persons described as burghers of Inverness in this Charter and hence was entitled to the benefit of the prohibition against the collection of tolls contained in the passage

Robbie the Pict’s latest contribution to the gaiety of nations and Scottish jurisprudence was a claim before Sheriff Principal Sir Stephen Young QC at Dingwall, in yet another Skye Bridge toll case, that he (Robbie) was entitled to the benefit of a charter given by King William the Lion in the 12th century granting the burgesses of Inverness immunity from toll throughout the kingdom, and this meant that he was free from any liability to pay the Skye Bridge toll.  Giving judgement on 27 August 2004, the Sheriff Principal found against Robbie after a lengthy discussion of the meaning and application of the charter in question.  The competing arguments were summarised as follows:

Counsel submitted that the accused