Court / Sentencing sex offender deferred for second time
SENTENCING a 39-year old man who admitted committing sexual assaults against two teenagers, one aged under 16 at the time, has been further deferred.
John Masterman, of Leaside, Mossbank, previously admitted intentionally or recklessly touching the two girls.
One of the offences, committed against a female teenager who he worked with at a Lerwick restaurant, took place between 1 and 31 August 2018.
The second saw Masterman sexually assault a girl aged under 16 in her family home on various occasions between 1 January and 22 June 2021.
Speaking at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday via videolink from Elgin, sheriff Olga Pasportnikov said that she had read the criminal social justice report but felt she needed more information on Masterman before sentencing him, and requested a psychological report.
Masterman will now appear for sentencing on 19 May.
Sheriff Pasportnikov was standing in for Lerwick’s resident sheriff Ian Cruickshank who said he did not feel he was in a position to pass sentence after Masterman successfully appealed his decision to remand him in custody after hearing the full details of the two charges on 3 March.
Masterman was originally due to be sentenced on 31 March but that date was moved to today (Thursday) following the successful appeal.
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
