Man assaulted teenage boys at estranged wife’s house

A man who forcibly ejected young people from his estranged wife’s home had sentence deferred for good behaviour at Lerwick Sheriff Court on today.

William Stuart McKnight, 55, appeared from custody, where he had been placed for failing to appear in court on the charges last Wednesday. He pleaded guilty to two charges of assault.

The court heard that on 7th October McKnight, of Sandveien, was asked by his wife at around 6.30pm to go to her house in Breiwick Road to remove two 15-year-old boys.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said that McKnight “stormed into the house without preamble and started assaulting the youths”.

He repeatedly struck and kicked one on the body, causing him to fall down a flight of stairs, fortunately without serious injury. The other boy he assaulted outside, grabbing him by the throat, pushing him to the ground and dragging him along the ground to his injury.

Defence solicitor said McKnight had been drinking at the time of the incident and accepted he had over-reacted.

Sheriff Graeme Napier deferred sentence for six months for McKnight to be of good behaviour and told him to seek help for his alcohol problem from alcohol and drugs agency CADSS.

McKnight was also told to show proof that he had sought help at his next court appearance.

The sheriff warned him: “I won’t be impressed if you don’t produce it.”

Meanwhile his failure to appear in court cost him £250, reflecting the cost to the public purse of keeping him in custody for a night.