Thursday 28 March 2024
 7°C   E Moderate Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / 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.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.