Court / Two Lerwick men told to carry out unpaid work

A MAN from Lerwick who was spotted going into a car after drinking and then failed to provide specimens of breath to police has been banned from driving and ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Richard Day, of Breiwick Road, had also pleaded guilty to acting aggressively towards police officers and aiming a kick at a constable, all on 5 April at his home address as well as the town’s police station.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his 47-year-old client has expressed remorse and has taken appropriate steps to tackle his alcohol use – adding that Day had not drunken alcohol since.

Allan said Day fully expected to be disqualified and was aware of the consequences.

The court heard at an earlier hearing that the alarm had been raised by staff at a pub after they saw him leave the premises and enter a car.

Police attended Day’s home and saw the car parked outside.

Sentencing him, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank imposed a community payback order as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

As part of the order Day will be under supervision for a year and is required to carry our 120 hours of unpaid work over a 12-month period.

He was disqualified from driving for 16 months, which can be reduced by a quarter should he successfully complete a drink driver’s rehabilitation course.

Meanwhile, a man who behaved aggressively to social workers at Hayfield House has also been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

At a court hearing last month Lee Noble, of North Road, Lerwick, admitted to shouting and swearing at social workers in the building on 7 February, and refusing to leave.

The 29-year-old also pleaded guilty to struggling violently with police officers and failing to provide a name and address.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client was ashamed and felt deeply sorry for the incident.

A criminal justice social work report deemed him to be low risk of reoffending.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told Noble that his behaviour had been “unacceptable” and imposed a community payback order consisting of a 15-month period of supervision and the requirement to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work.

The community payback order was imposed as an alternative to a custodial sentence.