Man narrowly avoids jail after ‘devastating’ outburst

A 23-year-old man avoided jail “by a whisker” for his latest in a series of offences involving his former partner.

Chae Coleman, of Hoofields, was given an 18-month non-harassment order, placed under supervision for one year and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Coleman admitted the offence during an earlier court appearance and on Wednesday he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court for sentencing.

During that earlier appearance, the court heard how Coleman had embarked on a “devastating” outburst after a night of heavy drinking at an address in Sandwick on 15th and 16th July this year.

He pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing at a woman, breaking a soundbar speaker, and sending messages to a woman on Facebook using offensive, threatening and foul language.

On Wednesday defence agent Tommy Allan said that Coleman had “not only accepted full responsibility” for his actions but was also “genuinely ashamed”.

Mr Allan said that his client was “focused on getting himself back into employment” and now accepted that the troubled relationship was “completely over”.

Sheriff Philip Mann told Coleman that due to his record he was “knocking on the door of a custodial sentence”.

“This case has caused me a little bit of anxiety”, the Sheriff said.

He said that on this occasion he would give Coleman a final warning, and warned him that “if you come up before me again offending in this manner against any partner the most likely outcome is a custodial sentence”.

“You don’t get carte blanche to do what you like just because you have depression or just because you have problems with alcohol”, the sheriff added.

The non-harassment order carries the extra condition that Coleman must not enter Virkie for the 18-months.