News / Three months in prison
A MAN from Burra who acted in an aggressive manner and uttered threats of violence has been sent to prison for three months after failing to adhere to a community payback order.
Graeme Hannah, of Westcliffe, Hamnavoe, previously admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at Lerwick’s Ladies Drive on 6 October 2015, when he also shouted, swore and uttered abusive remarks.
At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday, the 28 year old also pled guilty to possessing methadone on the town’s Prince Alfred Street on 2 September last year.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said police found £10 worth of the drug on him after they carried out a search.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client “went off the rails” after a friend died, but he said Hannah has not continued to offend.
The solicitor said the main issue was the 28 year old’s failure to comply with a previously imposed community payback order relating to the 2015 charge.
Allan argued that Hannah had been doing well and there was a “genuine possibility” that he could get access to rehab services.
He added that a new relationship with someone who would not tolerate drug use has “provided some stability for him”.
Sheriff Philip Mann said Hannah had presented him with a “very difficult decision”.
However, he said he had given the man from Burra “numerous opportunities” to adhere to his community payback order, which was originally handed out as an alternative to custody.
The sheriff said he had “no confidence” that Hannah would comply with potential outcomes such as a curfew or a drug treatment and testing order.
Sheriff Mann said he hoped Hannah, someone who he described as a having the “misfortune” of falling into drug addiction, would have a “fresh start” after leaving custody.
He said that as the community payback order had been revoked, he had to sentence as if it had never been imposed.
Hannah was also fined £200 for the methadone charge, which was converted into seven days in custody, to run concurrent with the other sentence.
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