Court / Court round-up 29 November 2023

A YOUNG man who lashed out at a former partner, causing her to require emergency dental treatment, has been ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

Barry Coutts, from Cunningsburgh, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Defence solicitor Gregor Kelly said that during an argument with the woman his 27-year-old client hit her out of frustration.

The offence took place on 25 March at an address in Lerwick.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank imposed a community payback order which requires Coutts to complete the unpaid hours within a three-month period.

A TRIAL date at Aberdeen Sheriff Court has been set for a Cunningsburgh man accused of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs during a nine-month period last year.

Ralph Halcrow, aged 49, appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday to deny the charge.

The trial has now been transferred to Aberdeen as new jury trials currently cannot be held in Scottish island courts due staffing shortages at prisoner escort services GEOAmey.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank expressed his frustration with the situation when he said: “Where and when that [the trial] is, is out of my hands.”

In July this year Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle issued an order that requires new jury trials which would have called at Stornoway, Lerwick, Kirkwall, Portree and Lochmaddy sheriff courts to call at Inverness, Aberdeen or Peterhead sheriff courts instead.

A MAN from Newcastle who sexually assaulted a woman in the Trench nightclub on 29 July this year has been put on supervision for a year and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie had told the court during an earlier hearing how Lewis James Allan had asked the woman to dance and while still holding her hand he grabbed her genitals through her clothing.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his 35-year-old client was mortified by the incident which happened in the middle of a busy dancefloor.

Allan, of Rosehill Way, has been put on the sex offenders’ register for the period of his supervision.

DETERMINING the fate of a crofter from Walls who admitted two charges relating to keeping livestock has been adjourned to January next year.

Lerwick Sheriff Court recorded the two guilty pleas from Thomas Jamieson, of Lochside Cottage, on Wednesday.

The 59-year-old pleaded guilty to failing to meet the required good practice in looking after his dogs, cats, hens and ducks between 1 August and 1 September last year.

He also admitted a charge of breeding more than three litters of puppies during a 12-month period from 1 September 2021 to 1 September 2022 without the required license.

A full narration of the case will be given when Jamieson appears at court on 17 January 2024.

A FISH farm worker from Ollaberry was fined £400 after admitting assaulting his then partner at his home on 6 October.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that an argument developed between the two, with John Laurenson wanting her out of his house at Collafirth.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the complainer had contacted a friend to pick her up but before that happened the argument escalated and he assaulted her by pouring a jug of water over her, dragging her out of the house and butting her head to her injury.

Fining Laurenson, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told the 46-year old that it was a “nasty assault”.

A QUANTITY surveyor who became aggressive towards police who were out on patrol in the middle of the night has been fined £750.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday how Neil Grant, of the town’s Anderson Road, was eventually arrested after behaving in an arrogant and belligerent manner towards police in Mill Lane in the early hours of 23 July.

Defence solicitor Gregor Kelly said his client accepts that he has let himself down badly and added that due to consuming too much alcohol he had behaved in a manner that was out of character.

Fining the 44-year-old, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said that behaving in a pompous and arrogant manner towards police in execution of their duty was not acceptable.

A YOUNG man from Lerwick “talked himself into the cells” when he became abusive towards two police officers out on patrol.

As they were trying to engage with him through conversation in the early hours of 1 July at Rechibite Place, Jay Lee McGill started shouting at them.

The 24-year-old was eventually arrested and offered a fix penalty, but when this was refused. When he became abusive again he was re-arrested and was taken into custody.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday, McGill, of Tarland, pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour aggravated by prejudice relating to disability.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined McGill £400.