Caught on his quad

A FARMER who drove his quad bike on a public road without a licence to attend to sheep that had started lambing has been fined and given penalty points.

David William Anderson, of New House, Scousburgh, previously pled guilty to using the unregistered vehicle on a road adjacent to the Spiggie Hotel on 5 April while disqualified and without insurance.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said police acted on intelligence and caught the 51 year old using the public road at around 7am to go between two sections of his farm.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client’s farm was short-staffed, meaning that when his sheep started lambing he took it upon himself to use the quad to see to the animals.

The man also had difficulty with his foot, Allan added, so could not get to the sheep without assistance.

Fining him £800 and handing out six penalty points, Sheriff Philip Mann said Anderson could not “just please himself” and ignore the law.

But the sheriff said that he did understand the circumstances as to why he used the quad.