Man told to leave Scotland after being bailed on fire threat charge

A MAN who threatened to set himself on fire in Lerwick at the weekend has been released on bail ahead of trial – and ordered to leave Scotland in the coming days.

Jawad Alaoue, whose address was given as Greenbank Drive, Liverpool, pleaded not guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on Lerwick’s Commercial Road on 15 February.

The 34-year-old – who appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Monday from custody – was accused of pouring liquid onto his head and body, state that the liquid was flammable, remove a lighter from his clothing and repeatedly threaten to set himself on fire.

The charge also alleged that he walked into the middle of a live carriageway and shouted.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said there was no opposition to bail.

But at Monday’s hearing there was discussion over where Alaoue would be bailed to.

Speaking through an interpreter, the accused said he did not want to return to his bail address in Liverpool, claiming he had been threatened and mistreated there.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said: “He has a number of difficulties there and he has repeatedly asked the Home Office to move.”

The accused also said he had been “hiding” from people who had been mistreating him.

Mackenzie told the court that it was his understanding that Alaoue was an asylum seeker, and said there was concern he was a “flight risk”.

After clarification between Allan and the interpreter, who was speaking on the phone, the solicitor confirmed that Alaoue would return to his bail address in Liverpool.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank had earlier said there could have been an argument for keeping Alaoue in custody in the meantime.

But with the crown presenting no opposition to his liberation, Alaoue was granted bail on a special condition that he leaves Scotland by midnight on 19 February and only return for scheduled court appearances.

He was given a trial date of 8 May, and an intermediate diet of 9 April.