Ordered to pay compensation

A MAN who vandalised fish processing equipment at Scottish Sea Farms in Scalloway has been ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to his former employer.

Appearing at Lerwick Sheriff Court for sentencing on Thursday Robert Setrice, 39, of Skerpalea, Sandwick, admitted to maliciously disconnecting pipes and cables from the rear of machinery at company’s factory at Blacksness Pier, Scalloway.

The crime was carried oout on three occasions between 30 March and 28 April this year, and resulted in effluent marterial being discharged onto the ground.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie described it as “quite a troubling case” which seemed to have been more than an “impromptu, spontaneous act”.

He said some of the equipment tampered with included live electrical cables and added that it was fortunate that those investigating the problem knew what they were doing.

Mackenzie said there had been “quite a significant impact” on the company.

Clean-up costs and business lost as a result of temporarily closing down amounted to £4,886.

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Until the incidents the company had not felt the need for security measures, but had now installed padlocks and CCTV, the court heard.

Before it was discovered that Setrice was responsible, suspicion had fallen on staff and that had made the working environment uncomfortable, the fiscal added.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client was “struggling to explain why he did this”, but stressed Setrice had not set out to put any individuals at risk.

He also felt a “significant amount of remorse and humiliation” for a crime intended to cause “nuisance and inconvenience rather than anything more than that”.

Sheriff Donald Ferguson said Setrice’s “inexplicable” behaviour had caused disruption to the business.

In addition to paying compensation he sentenced Setrice to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work and imposed a 12-month community payback order.