Court / Jail term for Scalloway man who severed another man’s finger

A MAN from Scalloway who severed another man’s finger with a filleting knife and a hammer while drunk has been sent to jail for two years and eight months.

John Johnson, of East Voe, had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Appearing at Lerwick Sheriff Court for sentencing on Wednesday, the court heard that the 48-year-old had started receiving treatment for his alcohol dependency at the Castle Craig rehab hospital and was responding well.

Sentencing him to 32 months in prison sheriff Ian Cruickshank said the offence was at the highest end of offending sheriff courts were expected to deal with.

The sheriff said that there was no alternative to imposing a lengthy jail sentence and added that the offence would have justified a jail term of between four and a half and five years.

He said there had been an element of premeditation in the assault.

However, taking into consideration mitigation presented to the court in the form of a detailed criminal justice social report and letters from Castle Craig the sheriff sentenced Johnson to 32 months in prison.

The court had previously heard how he had assaulted his victim – to make an example of him amid allegations he had stolen from people and had owed debts to Johnson – by placing a filleting knife on his victim’s left pinkie and then using a claw hammer to repeatedly strike the knife, severing the finger. The court previously heard how the victim was described as vulnerable.

The assault took place either on 3 or 4 November last year at an address in Scalloway.

Speaking in mitigation in court on Wednesday, defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client’s life had been blighted by alcohol.

All of Johnson’s criminal offending took place when he was intoxicated, the solicitor continued, adding that his client was a valuable member of society when not drinking.

The court heard that while waiting for sentencing Johnson had gone into residential care at Castle Craig, but was under no illusion as to the severity of his crime and the likely outcome.

However, the rehab had indicated that they would be happy to have him back to continue treatment once he had completed the jail term.

Allan said that knowledge gave him some hope and direction.