Court / Causing trouble on board NorthLink ferry cost young man £1,000

A YOUNG man from Arbroath who caused a seven hour long disturbance on board the NorthLink ferry Hrossey was find £1,000 when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Charles Hunter, of Leysmill, pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner on board the passenger ferry while on passage from Aberdeen to Lerwick on 1 July last year.

The trouble started when staff refused to serve the 21 year old any more alcohol shortly after midnight and lasted until the ferry docked at Lerwick in the morning.

Hunter admitted struggling with crew, repeatedly entering restricted areas, banging on the door of the bridge, behaving aggressively and damaging a fire sprinkler.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court that up to four crew members had to deal with him during the night.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said a letter from Hunter’s father, which he handed to sheriff Ian Cruickshank, would go some way to explain his client’s behaviour.

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“He was not in the full possession of his faculties,” the solicitor said.

Sheriff Cruickshank said he “fully accepted the letter”, and told Hunter that his behaviour has caused fear and alarm not just to the crew but also to the passengers on board who had no choice but to become aware of the trouble on board.

He fined Hunter £600 and, in addition, ordered him to pay each of the four crew members dealing with him on the night £100 in compensation each.