Court / Lerwick man released from custody after apologising over jurisdiction claim

A MAN from Lerwick has avoided a contempt of court charge after apologising for appearing to question the jurisdiction and authority of the court.

Calum Jamieson, of Mill Lane, was taken into the cells following an appearance at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday to allow Sheriff Ian Cruickshank to consider whether he was in contempt of court.

It followed a “statement of uncontroversial fact” the 37-year-old had submitted to the court following his arrest last year.

In it he appeared to question the authority of the court by stating that Shetland is not part of Scotland and that the Crown was lacking authority in the islands.

In court on Wednesday Jamieson denied he was the author of the statement, adding that he had pulled it together from the internet.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank suggested Jamieson had been used as a “puppet for someone else”.

In court on Thursday Jamieson’s defence agent Mr Foster said Jamieson wished to apologise.

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“He accepts the jurisdiction of the court,” he said.

“It does seem that he had been manipulated by a third party.”

The name of the apparent third party was not explicitly mentioned in court, but the Sheriff Cruickshank asked Mr Foster if he was aware of the Sovereign Nation of Shetland and in particular its apparent acting first minister.

Foster added that Jamieson’s overnight stay in the cells had given him time to reflect.

The sheriff later told Jamieson: “I note your apology to the court and I note that at this juncture you do not seek to challenge the authority or the jurisdiction of the court.”

He said Jamieson had “purged his contempt” and therefore he would be taking no further action on the matter.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie, however, said he was “not convinced that this nonsense has stopped”.

Jamieson was previously taken to court accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Cee and Jays in Lerwick in August last year, as well as within a police vehicle en route to the police station, which he denies.

The matter will next appear in court on 28 May, with Jamieson bailed and released from custody.