New sheriff appointed to cover Lerwick Sheriff Court
JENNIFER Gear has been appointed to the role of sheriff at Lerwick Sheriff Court from Monday 7 September.
She will cover the sheriffdom of Grampian, Highlands and Islands from next month, the Judiciary of Scotland said.
His Majesty has appointed her to the office of sheriff on the recommendation of first minister John Swinney.
Gear graduated from the University of Glasgow with LLB (Hons), thereafter obtaining the diploma in legal practice from the University of Dundee.
She relocated to Shetland and started working at Harper Macleod in 2016, becoming a partner in 2022.
She subsequently moved to Shetland Islands Council, undertaking education and social work law.
Gear has been a member of the National Safeguarders Panel, a child welfare reporter at Lerwick and Kirkwall sheriff courts and a board member of Relationship Scotland Shetland.
No full-time appointment has been made to Lerwick Sheriff Court since Sheriff Ian Cruickshank departed last year, with a number of sheriffs covering Lerwick in the months since.
If you have been affected by crime, help is available. Whether you are victim, a witness, or the accused, you can find independent, impartial, and confidential support in Shetland.
For victims of general crime:
Victim Support Shetland
Phone: 01595744524 or 0800 1601985
Web: https://victimsupport.scot/locations/victim-support-shetland/
Email: VictimSupportHighlandsIslands@victimsupportsco.org.uk
For anyone affected by crime & harm seeking a restorative approach:
Space2face
Phone: 07564 832467
Web: https://www.space2face.org
Email: info@space2face.org
For anyone affected by gender-based violence, including domestic abuse, coercive control, stalking, sexual assault, and rape:
Shetland Women’s Aid
Phone: 01595 692070
Web: https://www.shetlandwa.org
Email: office@shetlandwa.org
The Compass Centre (Shetland Rape Crisis)
Phone: 01595 744402 or 08088 010302
Web: https://www.compasscentre.org
Email: contact@compasscentre.org
For anyone affected by substance use:
Shetland Recovery Hub and Community Network
Phone: 01595 744402
Web: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075791869200
Email: recoveryhub@shetland.gov.uk
Shetland Alcohol & Drug Partnership
Phone: 01595 743060 or 07342 077789
Web: https://shetlandadp.org.uk
Email: shet.sadp@nhs.scot
Substance Use Recovery Service
Phone: 01595 743006
