No jail for knife man

A LOCAL musician who armed himself with a kitchen knife and hid it in his trouser waist band after being asked to leave a party for making a drunken nuisance of himself was fined and ordered to carry out unpaid work at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Victor Carlin, aged 43, of The Chalet, Meadows, Tresta, had previously admitted arming himself with the knife at the party near his home on 6 July.

He was wrestled to the ground and disarmed before the police were called and arrested him.

On Thursday defence agent Tommy Allan pointed out that Carlin had no previous convictions and no history of violence. He also produced a series of character references which had been volunteered by friends and associates.

Allan added that Carlin had not appreciated how seriously the court would take the offence and that it carried the risk of a prison sentence.

Sheriff Philip Mann said the case had “set alarm bells ringing”, adding “if a person arms himself with a knife when under the influence of alcohol things can go horrendously wrong.”

However he was prepared to view this case as “out of character” and instead of sending him to prison, he ordered him to carry out 100 hours unpaid work over the next six months and fined him £200.