News / Court round up – 7 July 2021

A MAN who admitted making threats against police officers and their families while he was “simply off his face” will be sentenced next month.

Jason Pottinger, 34, of Sandside, Mossbank, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on 6 and 7 May 2020.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that Pottinger had entered the Russell Crescent residence of an off-duty police officer without invite at around 6pm on 6 May. He then acted in an aggressive manner to officers and made the threats.

His misconduct continued at Lerwick Police Station in the early hours of the following morning, where procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said his behaviour had become “aggressive and abusive towards the police for a considerable time”.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said his client “was simply off his face” on the day of the incident and had entered the officer’s home by mistake.

While not wishing to “minimise the real fear some would experience” as a result of Pottinger’s behaviour, the threats uttered were “just what was coming to the top of his befuddled brain” at the time.

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Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the matter until 4 August for a criminal justice social enquiry report to be prepared.

A FORTY seven year old postal worker has been fined a total of £500 for possessing air weapons without proper consents and certificates.

William Mays, of Brind, Cunningsburgh, pleaded guilty to possession one air rifle and three air pistols at his home address, for which he was fined £400.

He was fined a further £100 for possession an X.50 RAM carbon dioxide-powered pistol capable of discharging a noxious substance, which Allan described as a “paint gun”.

Mays was also ordered to forfeit the items in question, which Allan said his client had not used since 2010.

A MAN who brandished and repeatedly swung a golf club at another man from the doorway of his own home in Scalloway last year has had sentence deferred until the autumn.

Alexander Forbes, of the village’s Castle Street, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on 2 February 2020.

Mackenzie said the victim had gone to visit a friend who lived at a nearby address, and when asked whether he knew where his friend was Forbes had responded by shouting aggressively while brandishing the golf club.

Sheriff Cruickshank deferred sentence for four months for him to be of good behaviour.

A 37 year old man has been fined £200 after admitting to possessing cannabis.

Stevie Coutts, of Lerwick’s Gilbertson Road, pleaded guilty to the offence at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Monday.

Mackenzie said police executed a search warrant and found 18.5 grams of the class B substance, with an estimated value of between £185 and £250.

Allan said his client had been struggling with his mental health and, having contracted Covid-19, fears that he may have long Covid.