News / Sheriff court round-up
DRIVING while nearly four times the legal alcohol limit has resulted in a 62 year old man losing his licence for two years.
Stephen Halcrow, of Glenburn Road, Hamnavoe, admitted driving on the B9074 road at East Voe, Scalloway on 17 September with 131 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The limit is 35mcg.
He was stopped by police at around quarter past midnight due to his erratic driving and failed a roadside test.
Sheriff Philip Mann said Halcrow “must have been quite drunk and therefore posed a significant risk to the public”.
He also fined him £800 and offered him the chance to reduce his ban by six months if he completes a drink driving rehabilitation course.
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A 29 year old sales assistant behaved in what procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie described as a “quite simply vile” manner towards a publican at Scalloway’s Kiln Bar on 17 August this year.
Sean Elphinstone, of Meadowfield Crescent, Scalloway admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at the Main Street pub, having entered the pub just before 1am as the female landlord was preparing to close for the night.
After two men removed him from the premises, half an hour later he was seen banging on the door of the bar.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had far too much to drink at a works barbecue earlier that night. He had little recollection of the incident but “can’t argue that it is vile behaviour”, which resulted in Elphinstone being banned from the pub.
Allan said Elphinstone was trying to keep his life on track, but it was “another major setback that puts everything he has worked so hard for at risk”.
Sheriff Philip Mann deferred sentence until 10 December for a criminal justice social inquiry report.
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A twenty two year old who thought another man was chatting up his partner reacted by throwing a bottle at his head in a Lerwick pub this summer.
James Black, of Gaetagott, Tingwall, admitted committing the assault at Da Wheel Bar on Commercial Road on 31 August.
The complainer suffered a 2cm cut and was taken to hospital, but did not require further treatment.
Defence agent Tommy Allan accepted his client had taken a lot of drink and reacted “extremely badly”. It has resulted in him being banned from the pub.
Sheriff Philip Mann said it was “fortunate” the incident hadn’t caused a more serious injury, describing it as a “very immature and childish response that need not have happened”. He fined Black £250.
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Gavin Anderson, 22, of Westhaven, Hoswick, narrowly avoided losing his licence after he admitted driving at 89mph on the A970 at Fladdabister on 29 July. The speed limit is 60mph.
Because Anderson is a newly qualified driver, six penalty points would have been enough to lose him his licence. Sheriff Philip Mann imposed five penalty points and fined him £300.
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Committing a breach of the peace before taking a car without permission or insurance led to an eight-month driving ban and £700 of fines for a 23 year old man.
James Tanti, of Brakefield Crescent, Haroldswick, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and repeatedly banging on doors at an address at Lindagarth, Unst on 31 October.
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