Court / Sentence deferred on man who made fire threat

AN ASYLUM seeker who threatened to set himself on fire in Lerwick’s Commercial Road rather than being sent back to England has had his sentence deferred.

Moroccan-born Jawad Alaoue attended Lerwick Police Station in February in what has been described as a “desperate cry” for help.

But the 34-year-old was told his application for asylum in England was still pending – so he could not apply for asylum in Scotland.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that when Alaoue realised he was going to be sent back to Liverpool, his home address on the court documents, he threatened to harm himself in front of frightened members of the public.

Police arrived to drive Alaoue to the NorthLink ferry on 15 February, but when they did he poured petrol on himself and pulled a lighter out of his pocket.

Alaoue alleged he had been attacked at his temporary accommodation in Liverpool previously, the court heard, and that he had a knife pulled on him.

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The police managed to calm Alaoue down and arrest him, before he was transferred to England.

Defence agent Tommy Allan, representing Alaoue, said his client was in a facility run by Serco in Skelmersdale at present.

The Moroccan had arrived in UK in December 2023 as a stowaway, procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told the court, and had applied for asylum in England.

However on 13 February 2025 he arrived in Shetland, claiming asylum in Scotland.

At Lerwick Police Station it was explained to him he could not make another claim for asylum while one in England was still pending.

Police contacted social work, and they sorted him temporary accommodation while arranging travel for him from Shetland to Leeds.

They returned to give him a lift to the NorthLink ferry terminal a day later, but when they found Alaoue he began walking away from them.

He poured petrol over himself and pulled a lighter out, threatening to light it.

Mackenzie said this was “clearly a concerning situation” and that Alaoue “didn’t want to go back to Liverpool”.

Defence agent Allan said Alaoue had come to Shetland in hope of work, and “tried to make a break away” from poor living conditions in Liverpool.

Allan said he “can’t think of any reason why” Alaoue would ever be back in Shetland, unless he was made to come back for a court appearance.

He said it would “cost the state a fair bit of money” to do so, either in person or by video-link, and might lead to another incident if he was taken back to Shetland.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank admitted this was an “unusual set of circumstances”, and that he had a “number of concerns” about the case – mostly about Alaoue’s safety.

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He called his flee to the Lerwick police station a “desperate cry” for help.

The sheriff deferred sentencing Alaoue for six months for him to be of good behaviour, and for the court to find out what the status of his asylum application is.

Alaoue’s bail has also been continued.