Couple found hiding in bed after car crash admit attempting to pervert the course of justice 

A couple whose lies unravelled when they were found hiding in bed after a car crash have admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Shaun Ritchie, 22, and Brogan Watt, 25, were hit with hefty fines after pleading guilty to the offence at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Wednesday).

The court heard how a simple driving offence spiralled out of control after the couple tried to cover it up with lies.

It eventually culminated in firefighters and police officers bursting into the couple’s Trondra chalet to find them hiding under the covers pretending to be asleep.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said is began with Ritchie drinking in a Scalloway pub on the evening of Friday, 20th January.

Driving home after midnight, Ritchie crashed the car through a fence and into a field off the B9074 in Trondra.

Rather than report the accident to police, Mr MacKenzie said Ritchie contacted a friend to help recover the vehicle.

With their assistance, and others, the crashed car was towed out of the field and taken to the home of a mutual acquaintance.

Meanwhile, the fiscal said the occupant of a house near to the crash was disturbed by the commotion and contacted the son of the landowner,

He attended to secure livestock in the field.

By this time, the accused had returned home where they bought insurance to cover Ritchie driving the vehicle.

The court heard a witness who saw the damaged car arriving at its new location called the police.

Four police officers arrived. At first, Mr MacKenzie said their priority was to establish the welfare of the occupants of the crashed car, which was seriously damaged with a fence post embedded in it.

Both number plates were also missing, and appeared to have been deliberately removed, the court heard.

Officers attended the address of the accused but Mr MacKenzie said they got no response.

Over the next three hours, they made three further calls at the address as well as contacting the parents of the accused in an attempt to trace the couple

Finally, they decided to enter the chalet by force and enlisted the fire service for help.

Firefighters and police entered through the window and found the couple “hiding under the covers”, Mr MacKenzie said.

At first, the court heard they maintained that the insurance had been bought before the accident, only to backtrack once confronted with the evidence.

Defence Agent Tommy Allan, representing Ritchie, who now lives in Cunningsburgh, said it was fairly clear what happened.

“There’s been an accident and there’s been a naive attempt to avoid the consequences,” he said.

“It’s a matter of embarrassment for Mr Ritchie, not least because he wanted to join the fire brigade and he knew two of the fire officers who attended.”

Mr Allan said his client, who works as an engineer, could now see that the situation had “unravelled”.

Ritchie also admitted failing to give details after an accident, failing to report an accident to police and driving without insurance.

Defence agent Gregor Kelly, representing Watt, echoed Mr Allan’s comments.

“Clearly, in hindsight it’s a situation where honesty has to be the best course,” he said.

Quoting the poet Sir Walter Scott, Mr Kelly said:”Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive”.

Mr Kelly said actions of the accused “certainly smacks of naivety”.

He said his client, a trainee pharmacy technician,  was “deeply ashamed” of what happened and wanted to apologise for the inconvenience caused.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said what started as a straight forward driving offence had culminated in actions intended to pervert the course of justice.

The sheriff fined Ritchie £,1600, plus victim surcharge, and endorsed his licence with six penalty points.

Watt was fined £800, plus victim surcharge.