Court / Court round-up 4 June

A WARRANT to arrest independence campaigner Stuart Hill has been granted after he did not make an appearance for a fines inquiry at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Eighty two year old Hill, of Ocraquay, Cunningsburgh, was fined by Kirkwall Sheriff Court after failing to declare expense he incurred when standing as a candidate in the 2017 general election.

AN “IMPULSIVE act” at Lerwick’s Up Helly Aa has had “fairly catastrophic” consequences for a family man from Lerwick, the town’s sheriff court heard on Wednesday.

Gareth Geddes was put under supervision for six months, and his name was also added to the sex offenders register for the same period.

The 44-year old had previously pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman by grabbing her on the buttocks in the early hours of 29 January this year.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client’s actions had been an “attempt at humour”, and he denied there had been sexual intention behind Geddes’ behaviour.

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Allan continued that his client had followed this up the next day with an apology.

The solicitor told the court his client’s actions had affected his marriage and his relationship with his children.

Geddes, of the town’s Stocketgaet, takes full responsibility for the hurt he had inflicted, Allan said in mitigation.

Sentencing Geddes, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told him his behaviour had been “entirely inappropriate” and had “caused grief and clearly had an effect on the complainer”.

The sheriff said he had received a “considerable number” of character references in support of Geddes and his standing in the community.

SENTENCE on a young man who wilfully or recklessly damaged a car and a caravan in Scalloway in October last year has been deferred for reports.

Daniel Johnson, from Sullom, pleaded guilty to two charges which were committed while on bail, when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

The court heard the 21-year old damaged the body work of a car with the door of a car he was sitting in, and then went on to repeatedly punch the wall panels of a caravan which was standing nearby.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the damage to the car had been calculated to be £400 while the caravan sustained damage worth £2,500.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client had already paid £1,200 towards the caravan.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said the offences were committed while Johnson was serving a community payback order, and asked for a criminal justice social work report before passing sentence on 2 July.

A YOUNG man from Lerwick who drove away from police when they were trying to carry out a routine check has been fined and disqualified.

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Harrison Ward, of North Road, admitted driving dangerously with a motorcycle at grossly excessive speed and encroaching into the opposing carriageway, when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Police encountered the 20-year-old late at night on 30 December last year at South Road, the court heard.

They followed him after he had “accelerated very harshly” and eventually brought him to a halt.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said his client appreciates that the episode will leave “a black mark” on his CV as he goes through the process of being recruited for a job in social care.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined Ward £500 and banned him for a year. Ward will have to pass the extended test of competency before being allow back on the road.