News / Drunk disrupted Relay
A SHETLAND man with learning difficulties who spoiled Shetland’s most successful charity event with his drunken behaviour has been ordered to repay the community with 70 hours unpaid work.
On Thursday Lerwick Sheriff Court heard that David Macdonald had been drinking heavily when he turned up at Lerwick’s Clickimin running track, where 2,000 people had congregated for the Relay for Life 24 hour cancer charity fundraiser on 27 May this year.
Shetland raised more than £275,000 for charity that night, more than any other community in the nationwide event.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that when the drunk Macdonald was pulled off the busy track by one of the participants, the 25 year old threw a punch and threatened to stab him the next time he saw him.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said: “Unfortunately for an awful lot of people, their lasting memory of this very successful event is his behaviour.”
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said that Macdonald was “disgusted with his actions” and deeply ashamed of what he had done.
He said that his client had since moved out of Lerwick to 9 Burgadale, Brae, was moderating his drinking and trying to keep out of trouble.
Sheriff Philip Mann said Macdonald had been “absolutely out of order” and as well as the unpaid work, he fined him £250.
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