Ex-employee admits fish factory vandalism

Sentence has been deferred on a man who repeatedly vandalised a Scalloway fish factory causing damage estimated at almost £5,000.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that Robert Setrice had maliciously removed pipes and cables from the back of fish processing equipment at Scottish Sea Farms plant at Blacksness Pier on three occasions between 30 March and 28 April.

The court heard that the motivation behind the vandalsim was perplexing, but the 39-year-old had been an employee of the salmon farming and processing company at one time.

Setrice, of  Skerpalea, Sandwick, admitted removing the pipes and cables on three occasions, allowing effluent – fish blood and waste – to spill onto the premises. “Specialists” had been called out to examine and fix the equipment and the factory had installed a CCTV system and began padlocking its gates. Staff also came under suspicion.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie described how Setrice would wait till the early hours before striking and that the most disturbing element of the crime was that the electrical cables he removed were exposed, but this had been an incidental rather than deliberate threat. Nonetheless Setrice’s actions had been clearly calculated.

Tommy Allan, defending, said that Mr Setrice was “not able to explain” his motivations.

Sheriff Philip Mann called for a social enquiry report to “find out what’s going on in the background” and adjourned the case till 30 October.