Court round-up 2 September

A MAN has been given a combined financial penalty of £1,000 after admitting damaging a door while he forced entry to a property in the South Mainland.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that the property in Virkie had been owned by the accused, Raymond Johnstone.

However, he told court that it had been repossessed as part of a bankruptcy process.

Mackenzie said items belonging to Johnstone were still inside the property, with the 60-year-old forcing entry on 18 August.

He was ultimately taken to Lerwick Police Station and released on an undertaking not to attend the address, but this condition was breached on 22 August.

Representing himself, Johnstone – whose address was given as no fixed abode on court papers – said he was still paying a mortgage on the property.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined Johnston a total of £200 for breaching the undertaking and damaging property, while he was ordered to pay £800 in compensation for the door.

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A WOMAN has been fined a total of £600 after taking someone else’s car for a drive without consent while on a walk home in Sandwick.

Jana Robertson, of St Ola in Orkney, admitted taking and driving the vehicle from an address in the South Mainland village on 14 March, while not having appropriate insurance or licence.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court that the 23-year-old had been attending the Sandwick Social Club but was asked to leave due to her intoxication.

He said Robertson entered an unsecured vehicle on her way home when it started to rain, and drove it a short distance.

Robertson told police officers she could not remember the incident due to her intoxication. However, her DNA was traced to the inside of the car.

Defence agent Liam McAllister described it as an “out of character” incident.

In addition to the fines, Robertson was given six penalty points.

A WOMAN from Sandwick has been given a community payback order on a charge of destroying or damaging property belonging to another person.

Dana Lowe, 35, previously admitted smashing and overturning a number of electrical appliances and household items at a property in Lerwick on 8 April.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday that Lowe had entered the unsecured property, which was unoccupied at the time, as a result of “hearsay” – with the value of damage reaching nearly £2,500.

Representing herself, Lowe told the court that she was “fully aware of what I’ve done” and that the offence was “out of character”.

The community payback order included 18 months of supervision and 100 hours of unpaid work, while Lowe was also given a £750 compensation order.