Court / Community payback for repeat offender

A WOMAN with a lengthy criminal record has been sentenced to two concurrent 18-month community payback orders as punishment for her latest offences.

Sarah Patterson, 33, of Hoofields, Lerwick, appeared from custody and had earlier admitted taking a photo of a child and school work from a house in the town and creating an alarming disturbance on a public bus.

Sentencing Patterson at Lerwick Sheriff Court, sheriff Ian Cruickshank took account of a positive social work report that said Patterson had taken responsibility for her actions and was determined to avoid drink that created her behavioural problems.

He added that according to the report, Patterson had “a different attitude”. Both matters could thus be dealt with via a community based disposal.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said that Patterson was “not unrealistic” about the demands of the community disposals and the consequences of getting into more trouble.

She had managed to get herself cleaned up while remanded in custody and had the chance to reflect on where her behaviour was going.

She received an 18 month community payback order with supervision, as an alternative to custody, for the theft of the items on 9 April this year and 18 months community payback order with supervision plus 100 hours of unpaid work for the bus disturbance on 16 April, with the work to be completed within six months.