Court / Man jailed for almost three years for ‘depraved conduct’

LERWICK police had to endure more than four hours of “depraved conduct” from a man they arrested and took to the cells, the town’s court has heard.

Craig Nelson, of Grampian Prison, was sentenced to 33 months in prison at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said the 44-year-old had engaged in “sustained, threatening and frankly disgusting” behaviour towards police officers.

The court heard this included smearing his faeces on a police cell and exposing his anus in front of the cell’s CCTV camera.

Nelson appeared from custody via video link to admit a string of charges relating to offences which took place in Lerwick on 1 October.

The incidents began when the police were contacted by a woman who wanted Nelson moved from her home.

On a 999 call Nelson was heard shouting, swearing and making threats to a neighbour, procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said.

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He was deemed to be “heavily intoxicated” when officers arrived, and after making a threat on a phone call to the complainer Nelson ultimately left and damaged a bus shelter by kicking it.

The court heard that the police then went to Nelson’s home to arrest him, but he “violently” resisted these attempts to restrain him.

Mackenzie said it was “quite a considerable struggle, all while [Nelson was] shouting and swearing”.

They managed to get Nelson into a police vehicle, where he made threats to officers, including with racial and homophobic elements.

The police struggled to get Nelson into the Lerwick station, who claimed he was infected with AIDS and hepatitis C and threatened to spit on officers.

The court heard that he was eventually taken straight into a custody suite, where he butted a constable on the head and attempted to bite another on the body.

Mackenzie said Nelson was later seen to be unresponsive in the cell, with an ambulance then called, but he came to his senses and refused to be seen to.

The court heard that the 44-year-old also spat repeatedly and smeared his own faeces and nasal mucus within the cell.

Mackenzie said the “depravity of conduct” on show could not be truly reflected in words.

The incident carried on until about midnight, with officers subjected to the behaviour for around four and a half hours.

Defence agent Tommy Allan explained that his client is someone who had struggled with drug addiction for many years.

He said Nelson has suffered a “downward spiral” after issues in his personal life.

The solicitor said his client was now nearly clean of methadone – and prior to the offence in question he had been off it for three months. But on the day he “lapsed” in the company of friends.

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Allan said it was clear that when up against authority “he acts in a way with no control over himself”.

He said Nelson had apologised to police officers the day after the incident.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said Nelson’s initial behaviour was “bad enough” – but his actions with the police brought his course of conduct to an “entirely different level”.

Nelson was given a total prison sentence of 33 months, backdated to when he first entered custody in October last year.