Man whipped two teens with cat-of-nine-tails

A 36-year-old man whipped two teens with a cat-of-nine-tails after “tempers became inflamed” during play fights, a court heard.

Peter Anderson of Gott in Tingwall admitted two charges of assault when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Wednesday).

The court heard how Anderson carried out the offending over the course of 2022, when his victims were 15 turning 16.

Anderson had been in a relationship with the mother of the boy who he assaulted by punching on the head and body, beating him with a broom handle as well as whipping.

The girl complainer was in a relationship with the boy - and she too was hit with a broom handle and whipped.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said the accused and complainers spent quite a bit of time together at the mother’s address.

“I think it can be fair to say that the relationship between the boy and accused was not a particularly good one,” he said.

The fiscal said there was “tension” in the relationships and this would emerge when they engaged in “a bit of playfighting”.

He said what started off as playing around would lead to assaults being perpetrated as “tempers became inflamed”.

Although the offending took place over 12 months, Mr MacKenzie said the complainers were only injured once each - and this consisted of bruising.

The fiscal said the offending came to light in January 2023 when the boy contacted social workers seeking to be rehoused because he no longer could bear to be in the house with the accused.

This led to a police investigation, which in turn resulted in the prosecution.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank asked what sort of whip it was – and was told it was a “cat-of-nine-tails with garish colouring”.

Anderson’s defence agent John McLeod said “events had moved on” as his client was no longer with the mother of the first complainer.

The solicitor said the incidents came about because the relationship between the boy and his mother had “deteriorated” and Anderson had stepped in to support his then partner.

“The atmosphere became toxic,” he said.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank adjourned the hearing until 19th March for the preparation of reports.