Thursday 28 March 2024
 6.8°C   ENE Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Hall escapes jail for nasty assault

A FORMER Lerwick man with mental health problems who admitted breaking a man’s leg so badly he is still recovering more than a year later escaped with a fine at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday.

The court heard the incident happened when 30 year old Thomas Hall, of 67 Pennan Road, Tillydrone, Aberdeen, went out in Lerwick on the night of 24 November 2012 while visiting his mother.

Walking down Commercial Street with his brothers, there was a verbal exchange with another group of young men.

As the two groups walked away from each other, a drunk man from the other group ran towards Hall and threw a punch at him.

He missed and ended up lying on the ground carried forward by his own momentum, at which point Hall jumped with both feet in the air and landed on the man’s leg.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the victim’s leg was broken so severely that it required surgery with metal pins being inserted, and he was still recovering.

“It was a nasty, very bad injury indeed,” the fiscal said. Defence agent Neil McRobert said Hall, who had not drunk much alcohol before heading out that night, claimed that he had been taunted by the other group.

He added that his client had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and had spent some months in Aberdeen’s Royal Cornhill psychiatric hospital before and after the incident.

McRobert said that Hall had been concerned that the man would get up and attack him again, but accepted there was no justification for such violence.

“There was, I submit, a significant degree of provocation, but Mr Hall should not have done what he did,” he said.

Sheriff Philip Mann said the assault would “amply merit a custodial sentence”, but taking into consideration this was a first offence, there had been provocation and Hall’s mental health problems he limited the sentence to a £1,000 fine.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

 

He also placed Hall on a community payback order where he will be supervised for the next 12 months.

The sheriff said: “I think what you did was completely out of order and reprehensible, but I am well aware that what you did didn’t happen within a vacuum and there were circumstances which perhaps explain, but don’t excuse what you did.”

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.