Trio who fought each other in Hoofields fined by sheriff

A man brandished a metal bar during a fight involving two other people.

Dean Hastings, 40, of Ladies Drive in Lerwick, grabbed part of a car jack during a fracas at the town’s Hoofields on 13th July.

He was in a fight with Simon Edwards, 38, of Leaside, Firth, and Adam Chapman, 24, of Lerwick’s Sandveien.

At Lerwick Sheriff Court today all three admitted behaving in a threatening manner and fighting with each other.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said police had to use physical force to separate the trio when the early-evening scrap broke out in the middle of a “compact housing estate”.

“It’s not clear what the cause of the incident was, but it wouldn’t be stretching the imagination too far to suggest drink was a factor.”

Defence agent Tommy Allan admitted chef Hastings was in a “slightly difficult position” because he had taken the car jack in the middle of the incident.

He said he had taken it to “extricate himself” from the situation, insisting: “There was no suggestion it was used.”

Mr Allan added the matter they were fighting over had “resolved itself”.

“I understand they are all friends now and Mr Hastings has moved into the area. They all have to get along.”

Chapman appeared as a “regular visitor to this building”, but the court heard he had stayed out of trouble recently and had not picked up a single conviction in 2010.

He had managed to address his drug problem and was now clean of heroin. He had had too much to drink on the night in question.

Edwards, meanwhile, was waiting to get back into work.

Sheriff Philip Mann told Hastings his antics could easily have landed him with a custodial sentence.

However he accepted he had no previous convictions and had not intended to use the metal bar. He fined him £400.

Meanwhile Edwards and Chapman were fined £300 each for their part in the fight.