Man tells court he was ordered to commit theft by drug dealers

A young man has claimed he was forced to carry out a number of offences to settle a debt with Liverpudlian drug dealers.

Aberdeen prisoner Scott Anderson, 20, told Lerwick Sheriff Court today he was ordered to break into the Scalloway Meat Company on 17th February because he owed £350.

The court heard Anderson had been approached by two men from Merseyside. Defence agent Tommy Allan said Anderson was hit on the leg with a large hammer. One of the men had a knife, he added.

Anderson was filmed by the shop’s CCTV system stealing four bottles of spirits and two charity boxes, as well as scratch cards and a display unit.

While there he used the shop’s internal bank machine to check his balance.

The day before he took a vehicle from South Road in Lerwick without its owner’s consent, and took money, keys and a laptop computer from the Lifeskills Centre in the town’s Market Street.

He is also awaiting sentence on a separate case after admitting stealing cigarettes, tobacco, spirits and charity boxes from Brucefield Stores in the town.

But Anderson will have to wait until next month before hearing the outcome after the Crown failed to accept his version of events.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the plea of mitigation bore little relation to the statement Anderson gave officers following his arrest.

“The Crown’s position is the narrative given today is at odds with what he told police at his interview,” he said.

He said the very existence of a Liverpudlian drug dealer in this case was “very much in doubt”.

A proof was fixed for 21st April. Sentence was deferred until then.