Court / Young rigger ordered to return to Shetland after abusive episode towards police
A YOUNG rigger who had to be pepper sprayed after subjecting police to threats, abuse and attempted assaults has been ordered to appear in person at Lerwick Sheriff Court.
Charlie Forsyth, from Newburn Court, South Shields, had admitted a string of offences at Lerwick’s Esplanade, the police station and Gilbert Bain Hospital on 27 August.
The court heard the 20-year-old had repeatedly acted aggressively to police, including shouting, swearing and threatening them during the prolonged incident.
Forsyth kicked the cell door and spat on its windows while in custody, made homophobic remarks and told one officer he would rape his wife and daughter.
In the hospital Forsyth tried to kick a police officer on the body, with two extra officers having to be called in to help get leg restraints on him.
Forsyth was in Senegal working when his case was being held on Wednesday, but he had pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
However, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank took an extremely dim view of his behaviour – and ordered him to appear before the court to answer for it in person.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said police were called to what was described as a “violent disagreement” between two men at the Esplanade at around 7pm on 27 August.
When they arrived they approached Forsyth, who matched the description given, who was “instantly aggressive” towards them.
He refused to provide his details to them and motioned to headbutt one of the officers.
Forsyth was arrested and placed in the back of the police van, where he started complaining he was dizzy and struggling to breathe.
A police officer was concerned about him and opened the back of the van to check on him, but found there was “nothing wrong with him”.
Instead Forsyth made an “unsuccessful” attempt to escape.
However when he arrived at the police station Forsyth again complained of feeling dizzy and nauseous, and had to be taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital to be checked.
There – among members of the public – his poor behaviour continued, with the man subjecting police to physically and verbally aggressive behaviour.
He had to be forcibly restrained to the hospital bed, “trying to kick police officers” as they did so.
“He was lashing out at them, kicking out at them violently and threatening them with violence,” Mackenzie said.
At this point he had to be pepper sprayed, before more police officers were called in to help restrain him.
Mackenzie said that medical staff were present during this ordeal, with two extra officers arriving to help put leg restraints on Forsyth.
Though he remained “reasonably calm for a short period”, he then refused to leave the hospital when it was time to do so.
“He had to be bodily carried out of the hospital in to the police vehicle,” the fiscal said.
Forsyth was “shouting and swearing” as they did so, something that was heard by people waiting in the hospital – “some of which were young children”.
Mackenzie said that Forsyth was dishing out “homophobic abuse liberally” to officers.
When back at the police station, he continued his bad behaviour – threatening one officer that he would “stab him in the neck”.
To another, he threatened to rape their wife and daughter.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told defence agent Tommy Allan he did not see how he could deal with Forsyth without obtaining background reports on him first.
Allan said his client was “still a young man”, who was currently working eight weeks on, eight weeks off in Senegal as a rigger.
He said Forsyth could not attend the court as he would not be back in the UK until late December.
Forsyth had been “absolutely drunk” during the incident, Allan said, with the solicitor adding he was a man who “doesn’t normally drink at all”.
He said Forsyth readily admitted that his behaviour had been an “absolute disgrace”.
Allan said Forsyth had “no connection to Shetland” and had “no interest in returning here”.
But he was ordered to return to the isles by Sheriff Cruickshank.
The sheriff said he “just did not feel it was right” to deal with the matter without obtaining a criminal justice social work report on Forsyth.
“I do want Mr Forsyth to be in attendance in Lerwick,” he said.
“He has to face up to what he has done here. He has to appear in Lerwick.”
Sentence was deferred until 27 November for the preparation of these reports, though there was an acceptance these may not be available in four weeks given Forsyth is currently working in Senegal.
Sheriff Cruickshank said Forsyth’s attendance would only be excused next month if the reports were not ready yet.
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