Assaulted man and stole money from his wallet

A MAN from Lerwick who assaulted another man before stealing £60 from his wallet has been placed under supervision for one year.

Simon Newcombe, of Ladies Drive, was also given 120 hours of unpaid work to complete and told to pay his victim the £60 back when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

The 21 year old previously admitted assaulting a man at Ladies Drive in Lerwick on 27 January, repeatedly punching him on the head and robbing him of the money.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client had a background with the victim which stemmed back to school.

He said Newcombe was “worse for wear and out of sorts” at the time, but added that he was “very sorry for the distress” caused.

Allan said Newcombe’s former employer was willing to take him back on certain conditions and said a social work report prepared following his plea was a “chink of light”.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said Newcombe’s behaviour was “entirely inexcusable” and was made “manifestly worse” by the 21 year old taking money from the victim.

“I find it impossible to comprehend that you could have acted in this manner,” he added.

But the sheriff was dissuaded from sending Newcombe to jail due to his previous record, the social work report and his employment prospects.