News / Hill won’t stand in dock
SHETLAND independence campaigner Stuart Hill was due to have his latest court case heard in the Lerwick Police Station cells on Wednesday after refusing to appear in the dock.
The 73 year old, of Bard View, Ocraquoy, Cunningsburgh, appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on a charge of vandalism, which he denies.
Hill is accused of wilfully and recklessly destroying or damaging property at North Bridge Stores in his home village on 23 September.
However, Hill refused to enter the dock and accused the court of making “false claims” about its jurisdiction.
It came despite the man – who believes the court has no legitimacy because Shetland is not technically under the legal rule of Scotland or the UK – admitting at his first hearing in October that he would no longer argue the matter.
“We’ve been through this on countless occasions,” said exasperated Sheriff Philip Mann, before warning Hill that he could be taken downstairs to the cells.
The 73 year old questioned why his refusal to enter the dock would be contempt of court, with the sheriff finally losing patience and asking police to remove Hill from the courtroom.
His case was due to be heard privately in the cells later because the campaigner continued to refuse to enter the dock.
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