Beach knife charge man must be well behaved

A man who had a blade on a beach, where he was found after a missing person search, has had his sentence deferred.

Andrew Moorhouse, of Hoofields, had his sentence deferred for six months to prove he can be of good behaviour at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

The 47-year-old pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to being in possession of the “credit card knife” – a plastic card with a metal blade secured in it – without reasonable excuse at the beach to the west of Nesbister Hill, Whiteness Voe on 3rd July.

During a 6th July court appearance, procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the matter came to the attention of police following a “significant multi-agency search for the accused”, which involved the coastguard helicopter looking for Moorhouse.

Moorhouse forgot he had the item, defence agent Tommy Allan told the court during the same hearing, and was “quite happy” for it to be forfeited.

Moorhouse had been released on bail while reports were prepared for sentencing and he had the bladed item confiscated.

Sentencing Moorhouse, Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said rather than admonish he would defer sentence, adding that he was placing his trust in the 47-year-old to be of good behaviour.