Row over drugs descended into violence

A man from Scalloway must complete 150 hours of unpaid work after he kicked and punched another man in the head and body and then struggled with police officers.

Ross Sutherland, of Meadowfield, Crescent admitted the offences at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting the man at an address in Lerwick’s St Magnus Street on 1st March before violently struggling with police at an address in the town’s Harbour Street.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said a number of different “intoxicants” were consumed. There had been an argument over the sourcing of drugs and things descended into violence.

Sutherland’s victim had bruising to the left side of his head and forehead, Mr MacKenzie said, but did not need medical attention.

Police attended the scene but Sutherland tried to escape through a kitchen window and there was a significant struggle with police.

Defence agent Gregor Kelly said Sutherland had struggled with heroin addiction and at the start of the year was in the throes of addiction when £80 of heroin was found in his possession on 3rd February.

He said there had been an argument over money and the other man was hitting Sutherland back.

His client had felt one of the officers was being “overzealous” though he “realises they were acting in the course of their duty”.

Sutherland had been clean of heroin for a number of months, Mr Kelly said.

Sheriff Philip Mann gave Sutherland another 35 hours of unpaid work for the possession of heroin.