Back in jail after fighting police

A SHETLAND man who was arrested for struggling with police officers just two weeks after being released early from a four month jail sentence is back behind bars for the rest of the year.

Dale Henry, of 66 Nederdale, Lerwick, was jailed for four months in May after failing to turn up for a community service order imposed for an assault in Lerwick’s Wheel Bar in April last year.

The 28 year old was released early from that sentence on 19 July but was back in the cells on 1 August after a violent scene at a house in Lerwick’s Haldane Burgess Crescent.

The court heard that four policemen went to a house in Lerwick’s Haldane Burgess Crescent after reports of a fight, and had to use CS gas when Henry struggled violently with them.

Appearing from custody on Wednesday, Henry admitted resisting arrest at the house, causing a breach of the peace in a police vehicle and assaulting an officer at Lerwick police station by grabbing him by the throat.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Henry’s life was controlled by drink and drugs. That night, he said, he had been fighting with his sister’s fiancé at the house to see if he was “of sufficient good character” to marry her when the police arrived to arrest him.

Mr Mackenzie said: “This was a violent struggle indeed, a number of police officers were involved and were required to use CS spray to maintain full control of him.”

During the hearing it emerged that a complaint has been submitted about the police officers’ behaviour that night. Defence agent Tommy Allan said that some witnesses had described them as “heavy handed”.

Mr Allan added that Henry’s family and friends were worried about his health and welfare as well as his consumption of drugs and alcohol and asked the court to consider registering him for a drug treatment and testing order.

However jailing him for a total of 246 days, including the remaining 48 days of his previous sentence, Sheriff Graeme Napier said Henry was showing no ability to stay out of trouble and such an order at this stage in his life would not be worthwhile.