Dangerous driver offers no explanation

An “unusual” dangerous driving case has ended with a 21 month driving ban.

Ronan Wark, 21, of Harbour Street, Lerwick, caused serious injury to another driver after a collision on the Black Gaet Road where Wark was driving in the opposing lane.

Defence agent Tommy Allan told Lerwick Sheriff Court: “It’s quite an unusual case as there is no explanation for his driving. He hasn’t been able to explain this.”

He added: “There are no aggravating features, no excessive speed or dangerous driving, no alcohol or drugs.”

In other cases the dangerous part of the charge would include speeding, taking corners blind or reckless overtaking manoeuvres, all absent in this case.

As such Mr Allan told the court the only other case he could compare it to was one in which the offending driver fell asleep, but otherwise was not driving dangerously.

Mr Allan also told the court “there was nothing requiring intervention in other aspects of his life”.

Wark, who has not driven since the incident, was said to be “in a state of shock” when he read the victim impact report.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said: “It’s almost incomprehensible to the manner you have driven but can offer no explanation to how this happened.”

He placed Wark under a community payback order for 15 months and banned him from driving for 21 months.

He also ordered him to complete 210 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

HES withdraws space port objection

An objection from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to plans for the proposed space centre in Unst has been withdrawn.

Early morning medivac for coastguard

The Rescue 900 helicopter was called out in the early hours to an offshore facility to carry out a medical evacuation.

The call came in at around 12.30am this morning from a facility 77 miles east of Sumburgh.

Lerwick coastguard met Rescue 900 to assist with the transportation of the single patient to hospital.

The operation was completed at around 3.30am.

Virtual presentation to determine Shetland’s future

An all-encompassing virtual consultation on the future of Shetland will begin later this month, asking residents’ views on everything from housing and connectivity to climate change and land use.

The local development plan, which will shape the isle’s future for the next five years, will be launched later this month.

Development officer Jonny Wiseman took members of the development committee through the virtual community hall that will feature interactive posters, maps and live chat.

Mr Wiseman told the members that the use of a virtual community hall can “reach far more of the community more efficiently”.

He added that the online interaction allows for better analytics, is Covid safe and will be manned during weekday office hours and weekends to allow questions to be asked via a live chat option.

Housing piqued the interest of committee members, with Robbie McGregor asking if the six week long consultation could ask the public “if they have any innovative ideas for housing and rental needs”.

He added: “Housing is a major blocker to getting suitable people here to work for the council and our schools.”

However suggested sites for development concerned some members with Allison Duncan stating that he “had serious considerations when we have to construct buildings and homes on arable ground”, which he described as “very restricted”.