News / Special brew in the morning
A MAN has been remanded in custody over the Easter weekend after being deemed unfit for an appearance at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Friday.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client Craig Nelson, of Lerwick’s Hoofields, was on medication for a stomach condition and mixing it with alcohol may have affected his behaviour.
The 37 year old was due to stand trial on a string of charges which alleged that he acted in a disorderly manner, brandished a knife, threatened to kill others and assaulted three police officers in Lerwick on 9 January.
He told Sheriff Philip Mann, who raised concerns over Nelson’s sobriety, that he only had one can of “special brew” in the morning.
“It must have been pretty strong stuff,” the sheriff said before he questioned whether Nelson was committing contempt of court.
Allan said the majority of pleas had been agreed, but he was not “comfortable” with accepting them due to his client’s condition.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Nelson was in “no fit state” to understand the complexities of a trial.
The matter was briefly adjourned to allow Allan to speak to Nelson, who was taken to the police cells in the meantime.
Sheriff Mann deferred consideration of whether Nelson was in contempt of court until Tuesday and said he would have to take into account that medication being mixed with any amount of alcohol may have caused the behaviour.
The trial matter was also moved to Tuesday and Nelson was remanded in custody until then, partly to ensure he makes his next court appearance.
Another charge alleging he had allowed himself to be carried in a car in Lerwick on 27 October while knowing it had been taken without consent was continued without plea.
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