Court / Man denies serious sexual charges
A SIXTY-seven year old man has gone on trial at Lerwick Sheriff Court accused of sexually assaulting two women on two separate occasions in 2015 and 2018.
John MacLellan, of 5 Glanford Road, Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire, but formerly of Lerwick, denies the two charges of serious sexual assault including penetration which are alleged to have taken place at two different addresses in Lerwick on 20 September 2015 and on 29 July 2018.
The trial before a jury of eight women and seven men is expected to take several days.
After the jury was selected on Monday morning, the court initially heard via video link from the first complainer, who was 18 at the time of the incident, how she was assaulted by the accused at the end of a social evening. The second complainer gave evidence during the afternoon.
The trial continues on Tuesday.
If you have been affected by crime, help is available. Whether you are victim, a witness, or the accused, you can find independent, impartial, and confidential support in Shetland.
For victims of general crime:
Victim Support Shetland
Phone: 01595744524 or 0800 1601985
Web: https://victimsupport.scot/locations/victim-support-shetland/
Email: VictimSupportHighlandsIslands@victimsupportsco.org.uk
For anyone affected by crime & harm seeking a restorative approach:
Space2face
Phone: 07564 832467
Web: https://www.space2face.org
Email: info@space2face.org
For anyone affected by gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, coercive control, stalking, sexual assault, and rape:
Shetland Women’s Aid
Phone: 01595 692070
Web: https://www.shetlandwa.org
Email: office@shetlandwa.org
The Compass Centre (Shetland Rape Crisis)
Phone: 01595 744402 or 08088 010302
Web: https://www.compasscentre.org
Email: contact@compasscentre.org
For anyone affected by substance use:
Shetland Recovery Hub and Community Network
Phone: 01595 744402
Web: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075791869200
Email: recoveryhub@shetland.gov.uk
Shetland Alcohol & Drug Partnership
Phone: 01595 743060 or 07342 077789
Web: https://shetlandadp.org.uk
Email: shet.sadp@nhs.scot
Substance Use Recovery Service
Phone: 01595 743006
