Man jailed after failure to complete community work order

A Lerwick man who acted aggressively towards his partner and police officers is beginning a three-month stint behind bars after failing to complete his community payback order.

Mark John Mckay Odie, 45, of St Sunniva Street was handed a 180-hour community order in March last year, which was to be completed within nine months.

But Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday heard that more than a year on, he still had 95 hours to complete.

The hours were imposed, together with a £400 fine, after Odie admitted shouting and swearing at his partner at an address in Sandveien in Lerwick on 28th February last year.

He also admitted acting aggressively towards police.

But Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said he would revoke the payback order and consider a fresh sentence after Odie admitted to having felt “swamped” since the new year.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said Odie had become argumentative towards his partner and was “shouting and swearing at her”.

“She went to the bedroom to keep some distance but he followed and continued with that behaviour. He was extremely aggressive towards her.”
He said the police were called, and officers arrived “very promptly indeed”.

“His behaviour towards them was in the same vein,” he said.
Asked by Sheriff Cruickshank if he had any explanation for his offence, Odie said there was no excuse.

“It was a turbulent relationship,” he added.
The sheriff noted an “extensive” list of previous convictions.

“It was undoubtedly due to the previous convictions and the nature of the offence that Sheriff Mann [the previous sheriff] imposed the order as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence.”

Adding that the order had been revoked, he said he was now in a position to re-serve the sentence, and imposed the three-month sentence.