Whalsay man faces jail over hoax call

A YOUNG Whalsay man who triggered a major land, air and sea search and rescue operation after sending out a hoax mayday message has been told he is likely to go to jail.

In Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday, 19 year old David Stewart Williamson, of Millbrook, Symbister, admitted sending out an emergency call on VHF saying there was a man overboard the vessel Crystal River, in Whalsay harbour, on 3 October last year.

The court heard that the Sumburgh-based coastguard helicopter and the Lerwick lifeboat were launched and the local Whalsay coastguard rescue team was deployed to find the missing man.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that later that day both the coastguard helicopter and the Lerwick lifeboat were called out on a genuine mission to rescue someone who had fallen off a cliff at Sumburgh Head.

Mr Mackenzie said it was only “a matter of good fortune” that the real emergency took place after the Whalsay incident had been resolved. “It is difficult to conceive of a more serious contravention of this specific offence.”

Defence agent Neil McRobert told the court that alcohol had been involved, but Sheriff Graeme Napier deferred sentence until 7 July when the full story of what happened will be narrated.

Sheriff Napier warned Williamson that the maximum sentence for this offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006 was two years in prison.

“You should be under no illusion given the seriousness of this it’s entirely likely, though I’m not saying it’s probable, that the outcome will be a custodial sentence,” he said.