Court / Unpaid work for headbutting man in Lerwick nightclub

A LOCAL man who now lives in Aberdeen has narrowly avoided a jail after headbutting another man in a bar in Lerwick last month.

Thomas Drever appeared for sentencing at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday having pleaded guilty to a charge of assault at an earlier court hearing.

Defence solicitor Gregor Kelly said his 24-year old client felt insulted by something that had been said and subsequently headbutted the complainer who fell to the ground to his injury.

Drever committed the offence on 22 October in the Trench night club while on bail from Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

The court had previously heard that people had witnessed Drever being “belligerent and aggressive” during his time in the bar.

Kelly said that given previous convictions his client was aware that he was sailing close to a custodial sentence.

But he added that Drever had now a job and was settled in Aberdeen, and asked for  leniency.

Sentencing Drever to 120 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order which also includes supervision for 12 months, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said the order was imposed as an alternative to jail.

Sheriff Cruickshank also told Drever to pay his victim £300 in compensation. The community payback order will be transferred to Aberdeen.