News / Wednesday court round up
A BRICKLAYER who admitted assaulting his partner twice has been placed under supervision for 18 months.
Craig Fraser, of Hillcrest, Aith, had previously pled guilty to the first assault at an address in the village between 1 November and 30 November last year.
The 23 year old put the woman in a headlock, compressed her throat and pushed her onto a sofa.
Then on 9 August this year at the same address, Fraser threw a vacuum cleaner at her to her injury.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that the pair’s relationship had been in “some difficulty for some time”.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said health issues, including depression, led Fraser to an “unhealthy” relationship with alcohol
. Sheriff David Hall placed Fraser under supervision for 18 months and ordered him to attend a domestic violence course.
He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
Drugs at Sella Ness
A CIVIL engineer has been fined after having 150 diazepam tablets sent to his workplace digs at Sella Ness.
Alexander Goodlad, of 71 North Road, Lerwick, previously admitted being “knowingly concerned in the fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on importation” of the drug at the Sella Ness accommodation block on December 28 last year.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said staff at the block became “suspicious” after a parcel arrived for Goodlad.
He added that the 46 year old used drugs for “self-medication”.
Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client had been battling stress, anxiety and depression at the time and had “done everything right” since the incident.
Fining him £400 on Wednesday, Sheriff Hall said he was “glad to hear” that Goodlad had stopped self-medicating with drugs.
Bad blood in Brae
A MAN from Walls who assaulted a fellow drinker outside a bar in Brae earlier this year has been landed with a £350 fine.
Thomas Currie, of Stennestwatt, previously pled guilty to assaulting the man outside the Mid Brae Inn on 11 April, repeatedly attempting to punch him and seizing hold of him.
The 23 year old also admitted shouting, swearing, behaving in an aggressive manner and struggling with staff at the same location on the same date.
Procurator fiscal Mackenzie said there was “no surprise that excessive consumption of alcohol was involved” in the incident.
Defence agent Allan added that there was a “history of bad blood” between the pair stemming from Currie’s relationship.
Sheriff Hall warned the aquaculture worker that he was “beginning to build up a bit of a criminal record” and fined him a total of £350.
Boiled over
A TWENTY three year old man from Blairgowrie was fined £300 after admitting he struggled with police officers in a fit of frustration.
Michael Hay, of 52 McDonald Crescent, previously pled guilty to restricting and obstructing two officers at Lerwick’s Mill Lane on 19 April.
Procurator fiscal Mackenzie said that Hay’s behaviour “escalated” when officers – who were already attending a job – told him to bide his time when he wanted to report an incident in the early hours of the morning.
Hay, who was representing himself, admitted that he was “out of order” for allowing his anger to boil over.
Unacceptable behaviour
A TEENAGER will learn his fate next month after admitting he behaved in a racially aggravated way by calling a man a “monkey” in Lerwick last month.
The 16 year old shouted at the man on the town’s South Road on 20 September from the passenger seat of a passing-by car.
He also admitted failing to appear at Lerwick Sheriff Court on 14 October.
Procurator fiscal Mackenzie said such behaviour was “not acceptable in any community, especially this one.”
Sheriff David Hall deferred sentence for a criminal justice social work report until 25 November and told the accused that his actions were “simply not acceptable”.
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