Court round-up 4 June 2026

A “SLIGHTLY ironic” case at court saw a man working in traffic management banned from driving for two years.

Derek Nairn, from Airdrie, admitted driving while over the legal limit for cannabis and the major metabolic compound of cocaine on the A970 road at Girlsta on 26 October 2025.

He was also found to have driven at 73 miles per hour in the 50mph zone.

Police stopped the 32-year-old at around 12.20pm about his speed and was required to carry out a drug wipe test after officers noticed a smell of cannabis.

He failed the test and was found to have 4.7 microgrammes of delta-nine Tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC, in his system. The legal limit is two microgrammes.

Nairn was also found to have 117 microgrammes of the cocaine compound benzoylecgonine in his blood, with the limit being 50mcg.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Nairn had been off his work and struggling with depression and anxiety at the time of the incident.

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He said the substances in his system were the remains of the night before, and that drugs had been a “coping mechanism” for him.

Allan told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that Nairn worked in traffic management, which led Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald to remark that was “slightly ironic” given the charges.

“As long as he is not the traffic, I think it’s alright,” Allan replied.

He admitted that his career would not be helped by losing his driving licence.

Sheriff MacDonald banned Nairn from driving for two years and fined him £600. He was admonished on the charge of speeding.

A WOMAN accused of driving a mini bus while using a mobile phone has had her case deserted by the crown.

Sandra Jane Irvine, 63, had denied using a phone while driving on the unclassified road between Robin’s Brae and Hillock in the South Mainland on 11 October 2025.

The case had drawn attention due to Irvine’s failed attempts to install sovereignty campaigner Stuart Hill as her legal counsel, which Sheriff Philip Mann had refused in March.

Sheriff Mann warned Irvine not to bring Hill as her legal representative – “unless Mr Hill gets a law degree” in between court appearances.

Appearing at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday – where Hill was in the public gallery – Irvine heard that the case was to be deserted.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said two witnesses on the mainland were due to give evidence, but there had been problems in securing a court for them to provide video evidence.

He asked that the case be deserted pro loco et tempore, which was accepted by Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald.

A MAN from Lerwick found with small quantities of three drugs has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

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Gary Latham, from Hoofields, admitted being found in possession of the class B drugs cannabis and methylphenidate, and the class C drug pregabalin, on 19 June 2025 at his home address.

Police executed a search warrant and found 0.97g of cannabis, at a street value of £10, and two tablets of methylphenidate – which can be used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Eight capsules of pregabalin, a prescription medication used to treat epilepsy and fibromyalgia, of a value of £45 were also discovered.

Latham, 50, admitted the charges when appearing from Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said the offences had occurred “quite some time ago”.

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald considered fining Latham, but was told that he had a substantial amount of unpaid debt to the court.

Instead, she ordered him to carry out 40 hours of unpaid work over the next 12 months.