Teenagers have sentences deferred

A teenager who reacted angrily to his girlfriend speaking to a male friend on a night out has had his sentence deferred until November.

Matthew Ross, whose address was given as care of the Police Station, Market Street, Lerwick, pleaded guilty to acting in a threatening or abusive manner at Posers nightclub on 30th March.

He admitted backing his partner against a wall, verbally abusing her and striking the wall beside her head with his hand.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Ross had become jealous and had been drinking.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Ross was very drunk and had “no recollection of what took place”.

He said Ross had accepted others’ versions of events, apologised to the people involved and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He also said Ross was suffering from depression and was seeing a doctor.

Sheriff Philip Mann recognised Ross was a first-time offender and said he would defer sentencing for six months.

He said if Ross showed good behaviour then he could be more lenient with sentencing.

Meanwhile a Lerwick teenager is to be sentenced next month after admitting to assaulting his girlfriend by throwing a drink over her in Tingwall.

Larri Goodlad, 17, of Hillgrind, Lerwick also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting and swearing at Herrislea Court on 24th May.

Defence agent Mr Allan, said Goodlad’s girlfriend was in court and indicated she wished for their relationship to continue.

“He clearly understands this is not the way to behave with somebody you are in a relationship with,” said Mr Allan, of the repeat offender.

Sheriff Mann said he was disappointed to see Goodlad back in court as he thought he was trying to get himself “on the straight and narrow”.

The more Goodlad returned, the more difficult it was for him “to cut him a bit of slack,” he said and the more likely it would be that Goodlad was to end up in serious trouble.

Sheriff Mann deferred sentencing until 26th June for a criminal justice social inquiry report.

Sheriff Mann told him to behave himself in the meantime.