News / Wednesday’s court
TWO YOUNG men have admitted carrying out a “concerted” assault which left another man “lying in a semi-conscious heap” and bleeding from his head in the centre of Lerwick last year.
Jordan Palmer, 20, of Sandveien, Lerwick and Liam McLaren, 19, of the town’s South Lochside, both admitting repeatedly punching their victim on the head to his injury outside a pub on the Esplanade on 3 October.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the victim and Palmer had fallen out earlier in the evening and that, when they left the bar, the two men followed him and demanded an apology.
Mackenzie said the assault then took place and the victim, who was drunk and alone, was discovered lying semi-conscious by police officers.
Defence agent Tommy Allan, acting for Palmer, said his client had been bitten on the nose by the complainer earlier in the night, but accepted that he had committed the assault following an exchange of words.
Allan said it was lucky that no serious injury had been caused. Palmer was “very frightened” about what had happened and voluntarily went to the police station to admit his involvement.
Acting on behalf of McLaren, defence agent Liam McAllister said alcohol had “clouded his thinking and judgement” and he should simply have removed himself from the situation. He, too, voluntarily went to the police.
Sheriff Philip Mann said he was particularly concerned that it had been a “concerted attack” which resulted in a man being taken to hospital. He adjourned the case until 29 April to obtain a criminal justice social enquiry report.
Meanwhile a 22 year old man whose “bizarre and aggressive” behaviour saw him run up a lane and over garden walls before struggling with police officers when he was detained has been fined £550.
Gareth Tienes, from Hull, Yorkshire, admitted intentionally obstructing the two police officers and struggling violently with them at the Hillhead car park in Lerwick on 29 November last year.
He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and making threats.
Defence agent Allan said Tienes could not remember anything about the night and could offer no explanation.
Although he had been searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act, no substances were found on his person.
A structural engineer who drunkenly obstructed police officers and struggled violently with them has been fined £400.
Gary Parr, 34, of Bootle in Liverpool, admitted obstructing a constable and sergeant at the Mid Brae Inn on 8 November last year.
Defence agent Allan said Parr had reacted violently because a police search had aggravated his bad shoulder.
But the fiscal said Parr had made no mention of being hurt to the police, who had to handcuff him due to his “belligerent” behaviour.
A hospital worker who admitted assaulting a man in Lerwick’s Quendale Lane on 11 January has been fined £300.
Taoufik Zaroual, 30, of John Jamieson Close, Lerwick, was turned away from Posers nightclub because he was too intoxicated.
The fiscal said Zaroual began annoying a woman at which point the complainer remonstrated with him. He responded by punching the man, who sustained a burst lip.
Allan said his client wished to apologise to the man he had struck. He had recently returned from visiting his dying brother in Morocco and had begun drinking too much.
He has subsequently stopped drinking and Allan said it appeared to be a one-off incident.
Sheriff Mann said that while he sympathised to an extent, Zaroual had to “deal with your grief in an adult fashion”.
A FORTY three year old man is to face trial accused of kicking a 12 year old boy on the head.
Zsolt Kolozsvari, of Pegasus Place, Lerwick, denied committing the offence at Clickiming Leisure Centre on 9 November last year.
The matter is due to go to trial on 9 July.
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