Sheriff tells Hill: ‘You’re just a stupid old man’

Self-styled independence campaigner Stuart Hill was admonished and discharged from Lerwick Sheriff Court today after Sheriff Philip Mann said he did not want to see him again.

Hill, 69, of Cunningsburgh, who has repeatedly insisted the court has no jurisdiction over Shetland, was in court for a breach of a community payback order, imposed for driving offences in December.

Hill had been remanded in custody in July after failing to turn up for an appearance relating to the breach, and had been told then to carry out 15 hours of unpaid work as the sheriff did not want to send him back to prison.

In court, Hill refused to enter the dock as he did not admit the jurisdiction of the court. Sheriff Philip Mann told him he could go into the dock without admitting jurisdiction, but when Hill refused the sheriff lost patience. “You’re just a stupid old man,” he told Hill. “If you would go into the dock we could get this matter out of the way today.” The sheriff then ordered police to take Hill to the cells for contempt of court and he was led away, handcuffed.

Two hours later he was back in court to hear the sheriff say: “This nonsense has got to stop. I’m not interested in your views on sovereignty or jurisdiction because you’re totally wrong. You can say what you like anywhere else but not in this court.”

Drawing a line under Hill’s case, the sheriff said he had taken into account the fact that Hill had completed nearly half of his 100 hours of unpaid work order and had been in prison. He revoked the order and told Hill he was admonished and dismissed, saying: “I don’t want to see you back again.”