Heroin addict jailed for eight months for breaching order

A heroin addict was jailed for eight months when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Jason Pottinger, 22, of Sandveien admitted breaching the terms of a drug treatment testing order when he stood before Sheriff Graeme Napier.

The order required him to provide samples for drug testing three times a week and to appear before the sheriff for regular reviews.

He had previously been given the order after being found with the class A drug diamorphine at his home address on 8th September last year. However the order was revoked after he said he had been taking drugs again.

He also admitted stealing £110 from a house in Sandveien between 13th and 15th January and breaking into the Blydoit fish shop on two occasions and stealing charity boxes.

Defence agent Tommy Allan said it was “disappointing” that Pottinger had lapsed back into his old habits.  “When I saw him at liberty he was looking in great form compared with, no offence to Mr Pottinger, the way he is presented today,” said Mr Allan.

He said Pottinger had failed to complete the DTTO because he believed it was being done over a trial period.

Mr Allan said Pottinger’s grandmother, who stays in Yell, had shown a willingness to take him in as long as he was clean, although he admitted: “Clearly, he’s not clean.”

Pottinger himself asked sheriff Napier to be allowed to complete the DTTO at liberty, but the sheriff told him he would have to show more willingness to get himself clean of drugs.

“DTTOs only work when you’re motivated to be in them,” he said. He told Mr Allan his client would have the opportunity to “get himself clean in custody”.

A drink driver was fined £600 and disqualified from getting behind the wheel for 18 months when he appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Richard Layfield, 29, of Veester Hill in Sandwick, admitted driving on an unclassified road between Ladies Drive and Hoofields with 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the legal limit of 35 microgrammes. The offence took place on 22nd August.

Banning him from driving, Sheriff Graeme Napier told Layfield he could reduce his disqualification by four months if he successfully finished a drink drivers rehabilitation course.