Court / Man appears in court on knife charge after missing person search
A MAN who was the subject of a significant missing person search last week which involved the coastguard and police has appeared in court from custody charged with carrying a knife in public without reasonable excuse.
Andrew Moorhouse, of Hoofields, Lerwick, admitted possessing a credit card knife on the public beach to the west of Nesbister Hill in Whiteness on 3 July.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Monday that the matter came to attention of the police when Moorhouse was found after a “significant multi-agency search”.
“This is something he does regularly throughout the United Kingdom,” Mackenzie added.
Moorhouse had other camping equipment on him but the knife in question was designed for being concealed in a wallet.
“This particular implement has no utility for camping at all,” Mackenzie said.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said the item had been located at the bottom of his client’s rucksack and had been forgotten about.
“He did not fully appreciate that that particular item was illegal,” he said.
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank decided to call for a criminal justice social work report before sentencing and deferred the case until 12 August.
The knife was forfeited and Moorhouse was released on bail.
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
