‘Arrogant’ Bressay trespasser ordered to be of good behaviour

A MAN who erected a tent on a Bressay croft and intimidated the landowners before repeatedly refusing to leave has been ordered to be of good behaviour.

Darren Lee Wilkes, whose address was given as the English town of Skelton-in-Cleveland, admitted trespassing on the land in Bressay between 1 January and 19 May this year.

Wilkes became known locally after he began begging in Lerwick, before his trespassing arrest last month.

As well as trespassing, 44-year old Wilkes admitted defecating, urinating and littering on the land, and repeatedly refusing to leave when asked to by the owners and police.

He also admitted intimidating the landowners, and deterring them from engaging in agricultural activity.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday morning that Wilkes had made no attempt to approach the landowners to ask if he could sleep on the land, and had “resisted repeated requests” to move.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Wilkes began sleeping in derelict farm buildings, which its owners were trying to renovate, and was there “for a lengthy period of time”.

Despite attempts by the landowners and police to move Wilkes on, he refused to do so – with Mackenzie adding his attitude was “arrogant and belligerent”.

Eventually, police decided to arrest Wilkes and charge him with trespassing.

Defence agent Liam McAllister said his client had now moved to Orkney and had no intention of returning to Shetland.

McAllister said he suspected “that the people of Shetland will be happy with that”.

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald said that Wilkes had a long record of previous convictions, which McAllister admitted – though said he not been in serious trouble for some time.

Sheriff MacDonald deferred sentence for Wilkes to be of good behaviour in Orkney for the next six months. His case will call again on 16 December.