Taste of Shetland reveller refused bail

A MAN who struggled with police officers during the weekend’s Taste of Shetland event at Victoria Pier pleaded for bail when he stood in the dock on Monday.

But Ross Gordon Lowe, 19, of Lerwick’s Hoofields, was remanded in custody when Sheriff Graeme Napier deferred sentence for reports.

Lowe admitted struggling violently with on-duty officers on Friday 20th June when he was arrested following a disturbance on the pier.

He also pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer after being taken to the police station in the town and attempting to butt him on the head.

He committed a breach of the peace by calling officers Fenians.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said a number of people, including families with children, were just leaving the pier when the incident happened late at night.

“The police had been called to an incident and the accused was involved,” he said.

“He was taken away from the area by the police to be spoken to about his conduct. He didn’t take kindly to that and was arrested.”

On being detained, Lowe struggled with the two officers, who had to pull him to the ground to gain control over him.

He was taken to the town’s police station and placed in a cell.

But Lowe then “squared up” to one of the officers and made to butt him on the head.

“As his head was moving forwards he was pulled back by another officer and that prevented the blow from making any contact,” said Mr Mackenzie.

He then took exception to officers taking his personal belongings and called them “Fenian bastards”.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Lowe had split up from his girlfriend a week before the incident, and had met her on the pier when an argument started between the two.

“His girlfriend began to strike him. He did not strike back at all, but nonetheless a disturbance occurred because of this and the police were called,” said Mr Allan.

He said Lowe had “taken exception” to being arrested, and had only a very minimal recollection of what happened at the police station owing to the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

“So far as the religious aggravation is concerned, although he is a Rangers supporter he is not religious himself and, in fairness to him, possibly doesn’t understand the full significance of what he was saying.”

He added that at 3am Lowe was offered a cup of tea in his cell, when he asked to pass on an apology to the officers he had shouted at.

Deferring sentence until 9th July for reports, Sheriff Napier said he was “not taking the risk” of allowing Lowe his liberty, despite pleas from the accused for bail.