News / Hill’s jurisdiction fight has ‘sunk without trace’
MAVERICK campaigner Stuart Hill’s argument over the court’s jurisdiction in Shetland has “sunk without trace”.
That was the message from Sheriff Ian Cruickshank at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Friday after Hill once again reaffirmed his belief that Shetland is not formally part of the UK.
The sheriff concluded that Hill’s legal submissions were “all at sea” as he rebuffed the pensioner’s arguments.
Hill, of Orcaquoy, Cunningsburgh, was in court on an alleged breach of a community payback order.
The 75 year old was given 30 hours of unpaid work in March after failing to pay a £125 fine relating to a vandalism offence he carried out in 2016.
Hill initially claimed he should be immune from prosecution as a member of the Sovereign Nation of Shetland, but he later withdrew that claim following questioning from Sheriff Cruickshank.
The campaigner continued by arguing that the members of the Sovereign Nation of Shetland had “innate sovereignty and jurisdiction” due to allodial land titles.
He said he was the first minister of the Sovereign Nation of Shetland and added that the organisation has its own parliament, which he said last met in 2015.
After being reminded that he was in court on an alleged breach of a community payback order, Hill decided to take small Sovereign Nation of Shetland flags out of his bag to place on the dock before saying he would be claiming jurisdiction of the court.
In conclusion, Sheriff Cruickshank said the history of Shetland and its ownership is “fascinating to historians” but is not relevent to modern day law.
He said Hill “failed to prove any legal basis in law” which showed Shetland is not part of the UK.
Hill conceded that he would, “under duress”, accept the breach of the community payback order – and he offered to pay the remaining £75 he owed, which would revoke the unpaid work.
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