Hooded burglars avoid prison

TWO YOUNG men who were caught red handed breaking in to a Lerwick fuel station and attempting to steal cigarettes and alcohol worth more than £1,000 escaped a jail sentence at Lerwick Sherif Court on Wednesday.

Eighteen year old Moroccan Anaa Nfaou, of 2a Holmsgarth Brae, Lerwick, and 20 year old Lithuanian Eduinas Rimkus, of 13 Haldane Burgess Crescent, Lerwick, were both placed under supervision for six months and told to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work each.

The pair had donned hoods and latex gloves before smashing the window of the Grantfield Garage, on North Road, on the night of 2 January.

In court, solicitors for both young men said their clients deeply regretted what they had done. Tommy Allan, representing Nfaou said his client’s status in the UK remained unclear, and it was very much in his interest that this should not happen again.

Liam MacAllister, defending Rimkus, said the break in had been an “incredibly stupid idea” in an attempt to get even more drunk than they already were.

He said his client was in full employment as a fish worker, felt deeply remorseful, and wanted to apologise to the court and the owner of the garage.

Sheriff Philip Mann said that since there had been an element of planning in their actions they easily could have been given custodial sentences.