A man from Lerwick whose “animalistic” behaviour saw him threaten his neighbours with a knife before assaulting three police officers has been sentenced to more than a year in jail.
Craig Nelson, of Hoofields, was given a custodial sentence of 51 weeks for a string of offences committed all on the same day in January when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court yesterday.
He was given a further two months in prison for contempt of court after being deemed unfit for his last appearance on Thursday.
At the court on Tuesday, the 37-year-old admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner at Hoofields on 9 January by shouting and swearing, making threats and brandishing a knife.
He also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at an address at Hoofields by shouting, swearing and threatening to kill police constables.
Nelson, who appeared from custody, admitted assaulting three male police constables, repeatedly biting one on the leg, repeatedly attempting to butt another, and attempting to bite the hand of the third constable.
He also pleaded guilty to repeatedly threatening to kill police constables.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Nelson was in an “aggressive and belligerent mood” when he returned to where he was staying at around 8.30pm.
He saw people entering a nearby property and began shouting at them. They ignored him and went inside, but he started waving a kitchen knife and threatened to stab them.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said the incidents happened on the anniversary of his client’s mum’s death, adding that Nelson – who had been drinking – had struggled to cope with the bereavement.
With regards to the contempt of court issue, Allan said Nelson was on a “powerful” anti-depressant, had his dosage doubled only days before and did not know how it would react with alcohol.
He said delaying the court process “wasn’t deliberate, it was a misjudgement”.
Sheriff Philip Mann found Nelson guilty of contempt of court, and said he was “totally out of it” when he was last in the dock and caused “considerable inconvenience”.
