Court / Court round-up 19 March
A MAN from Lerwick has admitted driving while nearly six times the alcohol limit.
Murray Mannall, of Gremmasgaet, pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place in Lerwick on Sunday (16 March), at the town’s court on Wednesday.
He had a reading of 129 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, with the limit being 22.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the alarm was raised following a report of concern, with police finding the 37-year-old driving a vehicle at Gremista Brae at around 6pm.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank deferred the case until 9 April to allow for the preparation of background reports, with Mannall disqualified in the interim.
He also continued consideration of forfeiture of his vehicle.
During Wednesday’s hearing Mannall also handed a letter of apology to the sheriff.
A MAN who whipped two teenagers and hit them with a broom handle after play-fighting went wrong has been given a community payback order.
Peter Anderson, 36, previously admitted assaulting a boy and a girl at an address in Lerwick’s Arheim on various occasions between January 2022 and early 2023.
The attacks on the boy – the son of a woman he was seeing – were said to have taken place up until 8 January 2023.
Meanwhile the assaults on the girl – who was the girlfriend of the male complainer – were said to have ended on 31 December 2022.
Anderson, of Gott, admitted punching the boy on his head and body, placing him in chokeholds, pushing him and hitting him on the body with a broom handle.
He also bruised and marked the pair and used a decorative whip – described as being like a “cat o’ nine tails” whip – to hit them both.
The two teenagers were 15 at the start of the offending and both turned 16 in 2022, Lerwick Sheriff Court previously heard.
At court on Wednesday for sentencing, defence agent George Mathers said his client had taken “full responsibility” for the offences he pleaded guilty to.
He said Anderson was regretful and wished to apologise to the victims.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank noted that the offending would leave “psychological marks” – and not just physical ones.
Anderson was placed under supervision for 15 months and given 180 hours of unpaid work to complete.
A WOMAN has pleaded guilty to assaulting a group of teenage girls who were “simply minding their own business” in the Bressay ferry terminal waiting room in Lerwick.
Nadine Wilson, of Bressay, pleaded guilty to assaulting the girls at the terminal on 11 September last year, by striking one on the head and spraying water on all of them.
At Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday the 34-year-old also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, throwing foodstuffs and repeatedly slamming a door against a wall.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the offence happened at around 8.15pm after Wilson entered the waiting room, in which the girls were sitting at the opposite side.
The court heard that due to the weather one of the girls closed the waiting room door, with Wilson then slamming it shut again. Mackenzie said she then told the girls they were “disrespectful” and called them derogatory terms.
Thinking one of the girls had been vaping, Wilson shouted at her and struck her on the ear, the court heard. She also threw chips towards them and sprayed them with a bottle of water.
With the teenagers “scared and vulnerable”, they left the waiting room.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said he would reserve mitigation until the next hearing, which will take place on 9 April.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank deferred matters until then to allow the preparation of a criminal justice social work report and restriction of liberty order assessment.
A MAN from Unst who was found guilty of a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour by driving recklessly and at excessive speed at a trial last month has been sentenced.
William Ratter, of Haroldswick, was fined £400 and disqualified from driving for three months when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
The 55-year-old faced trial at court in February after pleading not guilty to a threatening behaviour offence alleged to have taken place in Unst on 23 July 2023.
He had picked up four passengers walking from Baltasound to Haroldswick after an UnstFest event, but his driving was described as “erratic” and at high speeds approaching corners, which had left the group “scared” and anxious”.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said Ratter still maintained his innocence.
He said his client perhaps best take heed of advice in a social work report to “keep his head down” and not pick up strangers in his vehicle.
Allan argued that Ratter should not lose his driving licence as a result of the incident, citing the impact it would have on his client’s ability access services – particularly due to where he lives.
However Sheriff Ian Cruickshank decided to impose a three-month disqualification as well as a fine.
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