Nuisance caller back behind bars

A SHETLAND teenager has been locked up for the second time this year after admitting causing “annoyance, inconvenience and needless anxiety” by making numerous nuisance 999 between 18 May and 2 June this year.

Appearing from custody on Thursday, Lerwick Sheriff Court heard that 19 year old Nathan Hilditch had just been released from a 12 week sentence when he re-offended.

Hilditch also pled guilty to attempting to steal a vehicle from Dragontree Cottage in Virkie on 26 May and assaulting a man by repeatedly throwing punches at him.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court that the latest charges bore a resemblance to his previous case as the purpose of taking the car was to simply cause annoyance.

The court discussed at some length whether or not a psychological assessment of Hilditch had ever been requested.

Finally Sheriff Philip Mann found that imprisoning Hilditch was the only option available for him to deal with his persistent offending.

“It is clear to me that the custodial sentence in March has not got the message through. You continued offending in the same way,” he said.

Sending him down for 15 weeks, the sheriff added: “You have to learn the lesson, it is as simple as that.”