Court / Man who drove dangerously and assaulted police officers had no recollection of his offending
A MAN from Leicestershire who admitted driving dangerously and assaulting two police officers in April last year has been fined and disqualified for 15 months.
Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Thursday that Richard Seadon was suffering from a number of severe mental health issues at the time, and had no connection with Shetland whatsoever.
The 51-year-old arrived in Shetland on 14 April after completing two overnight journeys on the NorthLink ferry while waiting for accommodation in Orkney to become available.
Police were alerted to him driving dangerously on South Road and North Lochside, with Seadon repeatedly encroaching into the opposing carriageway which required evasive action by several drivers.
They were then called to the Holmsgarth ferry terminal where Seadon was causing a nuisance after missing the check-in for the ferry.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer by seizing hold of his fingers and twisting them to his injury, failing to give a breath sample and assaulting two more police officers in what was described by procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie as an “extensive struggle”.
Seadon, of 33 Church Road, Lutterworth, was not in court on Thursday, and defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client had no recollection of any of the incidents.
Allan said Seadon had been in Shetland “by accident” and accepts that he had not really been well enough to undertake this trip.
Seadon was suffering from a mental breakdown after his business went down in the wake of the Covid pandemic, Allan told the court.
He also was in prison for six months for fraud in relation to the collapse of his business, and had a cancer diagnosis.
Following treatment he was now clear of the disease, the court heard.
Allan said his client wanted to apologise for his offending and to draw a line under the whole episode.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined him a total of £1,100 and ordered Seadon to re-sit the extended driving test following his period of disqualification.
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -
- Remove non-local ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
