News / Teenager assaulted love rival
A SHETLAND teenager who beat up a love rival and struggled with staff after being asked to leave the local Tesco supermarket has been warned that he is in danger of becoming a regular at Lerwick Sheriff Court.
Shaun Smith, of 12 Ladies Drive, Lerwick, admitted assaulting a young man in front of passers by on the town’s Commercial Street last summer.
The court heard that the 17 year old, who is unemployed, had returned to the islands after a period staying with relatives near Aberdeen only to find his girlfriend had taken up with someone else.
When he saw the man in question on 2 July he “went for him”, punching him to the ground and kicking him in the body.
The man was taken to hospital for treatment to cuts and bruises on his head, including “a nasty cut” on the back of his head which required two stitches.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said Smith accepted his behaviour was “unacceptable and disgusting”, but said he had received text messages that had taunted him about the loss of his girlfriend.
Mr Kelly added that Smith had taken umbrage when he and his father were asked to leave Tesco on 30 August, and he admitted causing a breach of the peace by shouting, swearing, uttering threats and struggling with staff.
Sheriff Graeme Napier warned Smith that he was in danger of becoming a regular customer of the court, and deferred sentence for reports saying that he thought he was in need of some intervention.
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