Court / Sovereignty campaigner advised to seek proper legal advice after witness hearing
A WOMAN facing trial at Lerwick Sheriff Court has been warned she is causing herself “jeopardy and indeed harm” after continuing to question the jurisdiction of the legal system.
A hearing was held at the court on Monday morning after Sandra Irvine, of Boddam, had cited Sheriff Ian Cruickshank, the sheriff clerk and Stuart Hill as defence witnesses for her trial, which starts tomorrow (Tuesday).
The 60-year-old is accused of shouting and swearing at two people on roads in Boddam on 28 November last year, and behaving in an aggressive and intimidating manner towards them.
She previously requested that Hill, who has long campaigned on sovereignty matters, speak on her behalf – but that attempt had failed.
The hearing on Monday was initiated by procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie, who applied for the witness citations to be rescinded.
He said the people cited could add nothing to the factual context of the trial.
The court heard that the application was a “vexatious exercise […] in frivolity”. Mackenzie said similar attempts had been tried in the past by Hill.
Irvine agreed that the people cited as witnesses would offer no evidence for the trial itself.
But she said “this is about shining the light on truth, and the Scottish justice system”.
Irvine repeated her view that the court does not have jurisdiction in Shetland and alleged that there is a “false court” in operation.
However Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle, appearing via videolink, said these were “absurd claims”.
“I’m not going to engage with you on your absurd and bizarre notions about the law of Scotland or the law of Shetland, which is part of Scotland,” he said.
Pyle noted that the trial matter, effectively a breach of the peace, is a minor process in a sheriff court.
But he said “you have got yourself caught in a situation where you are being very badly advised by Mr Hill”.
Pyle encouraged Irvine to instead seek proper legal advice.
Siding with the fiscal, he ruled that the application to rescind the witness citation was “entirely justified”. Irvine was ordained to appear for trial on Tuesday.
Earlier this month Hill was ordered not to attend Lerwick Sheriff Court unless under lawful authority after being found in contempt of court.
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