Court / Court round up – 26 January 2023

A YOUNG Lerwick woman who assaulted another woman over a boyfriend has been told to carry unpaid work and pay her victim £150 compensation.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Thursday how Patricia Doyle went to the other woman’s home on 17 March last year, barged in and repeatedly punched her victim on her head and pulled her hair, all to her injury.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan told the court his client accepts that she had no reason to assault the complainer in the way she did.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank imposed a community payback order as an alternative to a financial penalty and ordered the 25-year-old to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.

BEHAVING in a threatening behaviour at Lerwick’s Esplanade and at the police station, as well as uttering threats to a police officer, has resulted in a £400 fine for a woman from Walls.

The court heard how police and an ambulance were alerted on the evening of 23 December following concern about the wellbeing of a woman on the Esplanade.

They found Michelle Cumming in an intoxicated state, and procurator Duncan Mackenzie said that due to her behaviour police had no alternative but to arrest her.

He said officers were the target of a catalogue of abusive phrases en route to the station and inside the building.

The 30-year-old also made direct threats to one police officer.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client’s behaviour had been very much out of character and could only be explained by her drinking alcohol whilst going through a tough personal situation.

He said that Cumming had no recollection of the incident and was deeply ashamed of it.