Man admits threatening or abusive behaviour charges
A FORTY nine year old man from the remote island of Foula will have to wait until August to learn his fate after he pleaded guilty to three charges of threatening or abusive behaviour towards his wife.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank warned William Ratter at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday that he was considering a custodial sentence.
Ratter, of North Biggins, admitted shouting and swearing at his wife at their home address on 22 April last year, instructing her to commit suicide, shouting grossly offensive comments at her and behaving aggressively towards her.
He also pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing at her on 2 August and 9 September last year. Ratter further admitted a charge of breaching a bail condition on 11 September.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court that the ensuing argument between the two, fuelled by alcohol, could be “characterised as the usual type by a couple in the deterioration of a relationship”.
He said the incident on 22 April was an extended tirade of vile abuse of which the victim managed to make a 58-minute long recording.
He said what made the abuse worse was the fact that the couple’s two children can be heard on the recording being upset.
The victim managed to barricade herself in the living room before eventually fleeing from the house.
The fiscal continued by saying that he was seeking for the court to impose an 18 month long non-harassment order under which Ratter would not be allowed to enter Foula and would only be able to contact the complainer by way of solicitor correspondence.
Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client, who was currently staying in temporary homeless accommodation, had been living in Foula for eleven years where he and his wife were creating a self-sufficient life for themselves.
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He said that the relationship was in “free fall”, fuelled by alcohol on both parts.
Allan said his client had effectively lost the life he had created for himself, was now unemployed and had no real prospect of returning to the island.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said the offences were “extremely serious incidents of domestic abuse over an extended period”, and he adjourned sentence until 15 August for a criminal justice social work report to be prepared.
Bail was continued and consideration of the non-harassment order was also deferred until 15 August.
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