Assault accused claims self defence

THE JURY trial against Lerwick man Shaun Strachan, accused of assaulting another man to his severe injury at the Scalloway Meat Company last October, got under way at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Tuesday afternoon.

Forty four year old Mr Strachan, of 4 Burnside, denied the charge and has lodged a special defence arguing that he acted in self defence.

A CCTV tape of the incident, which happened in the evening of Saturday the 10 October 2009, showed Mr Strachan buying a bottle of port and some cigarettes when he was engaged in a conversation with three other customers.

On leaving the shop, the complainer’s hand can be seen shooting out to the head of Mr Strachan, who reacts by moving his body back.

Mr Strachan then grabbed the complainer’s hand and hit him over the head twice with the carrier bag containing the bottle. The bottle broke after the first strike.

The first witness, detective sergeant Lindsay Tulloch, told the court that on his arrival he found a great deal of blood on the floor and the members of staff in a state of shock.

Under cross examination from defence solicitor Gregor Kelly, Sgt Tulloch conceded that judging from the CCTV footage, Mr Strachan initially appeared to be relaxed and good natured and not aggressive at all.

Sergeant Tulloch further agreed with Mr Kelly that the first aggressive act came from the complainer and that Mr Strachan had retaliated.

It also emerged that Mr Strachan had sustained a life threatening injury in the incident as broken glass had cut tendons on his hand.

At the time the police arrived he was driving to the Gilbert Bain Hospital for urgent treatment. He was later transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The trial before the jury of 10 women and five men, is expected to last for two days. It continues on Wednesday morning.