Man admits ‘bizarre behaviour’

A BRESSAY man has admitted a night of “bizarre behaviour” that saw him strip naked in a friend’s house before shouting and screaming.

Twenty five year old Ryan Paterson, from 7 Upper Glebe in Bressay, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner at the address in Lerwick’s Hoofields area on 19 February this year.

He also admitted stealing a hammer – which was used to force re-entry into the house – and also struggling violently with police.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday that Paterson had been with a female friend in her neighbour’s house.

However, she left to go home because of something Paterson said to her.

The 25-year old later apologised via text message. Later in the evening, the complainant let Paterson into her house before heading to the toilet.

However, the man – who is “simply friends” with the woman – was “completely naked” when she returned.

He then began running around the building, “shouting and screaming and not making any sense”.

Paterson was flailing his arms about – but one of his limbs struck the woman on the face.

A neighbour was called for assistance, with the man taken outside. He stole a hammer and proceeded to smash the ground with it.

The police were called and Paterson then used the hammer to smash a hole in the complainant’s locked door, forcing re-entry.

Police entered the scene, with the man then trying to evade them by running through the Hoofields area before he was eventually subdued with a struggle.

Sheriff Philip Mann suggested that some sort of “substance” may have been a factor in Paterson’s “bizarre” behaviour.

He said he needed to see social reports before making a judgement, adjourning the case until 8 July in the process.