Court / Woman taken to the cells after refusing bail conditions

A WOMAN from Dunrossness was taken into custody at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday after she refused to accept bail conditions in her name.

Sandra Irvine, of Boddam, questioned the jurisdiction of the court, saying she was a woman named Sandra and was in charge of her own affairs.

She was accompanied by udal law campaigner Stuart Hill who sat with her in the public gallery.

The 60-year-old had previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of shouting and swearing at a man and a woman on roads in the Boddam area. A trial date had been set for 3 August.

At Wednesday’s preliminary hearing, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank expressed concern about Irvine’s health and suggested a psychiatric assessment to be carried out before legal proceedings could continue.

Following a short adjournment, the sheriff concluded that he would order such an assessment to ascertain that Irvine was fit to participate in the trial.

Sheriff Cruickshank also amended Irvine’s bail conditions in that she was told not to contact or attempt to contact the two complainers named on the charge sheet.

When asked if “Sandra Jane Irvine” was prepared to accept these conditions, she responded that her name was Sandra, at which time she was remanded in custody “until later today”, hand-cuffed and taken to the cells.

Her case called again later in the afternoon and a new trial date was set for the 10 August. Bail was granted.