Man who refused drug search fined £1,000

A MAN who fought and struggled with police wanting to carry out a drug search was fined £1,000 at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Monday.

Ebrahim Abdullah Hassan, 45, of North Road, Lerwick, appeared from custody charged with assaulting one policeman and then obstructing two policemen by struggling violently with them when they tried to search him. Hassan pleaded guilty to both charges.

The court heard that the incident started at around midnight on Saturday. Hassan had been at Baroc and door staff wanted to do a random drug search, but he refused and was escorted from the premises.

The door staff phoned the police and two officers on foot patrol spotted Hassan. He ran away but the first police officer caught up with him in the Harbour Street car park. Hassan struck the policeman in the face and a struggle ensued. The second policeman came to help and Hassan was subdued. Drugs found on him are undergoing analysis.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said that Hassan accepted he had had too much to drink that night and the incident had been over quickly.

Sheriff Graeme Napier said that Hassan had previously been imprisoned, had restriction of liberty orders and had community service but never a “substantial fine”. Fining him £500 on each count, the sheriff said he would try “hitting Hassan’s pocket” to keep him out of the pubs.