Eight months for man who attacked elderly woman with claw hammer

A man who assaulted a 70-year-old woman with a claw hammer was jailed for eight months when he appeared from custody at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

David Joseph McKinnon, 27, a prisoner in Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to the offence, which had been committed in a chalet in Ulsta, Yell, on 25th August.

The court heard that McKinnon’s father had been living with him at the chalet at the time. The pair were a bad influence on each other and their behaviour could be described as “hell-raising”.

The assault on the woman happened when she was at the chalet with father and son and a number of others, all on a drinking binge.

McKinnon’s behaviour was “erratic and aggressive” and he assaulted the woman without reason. She had bruising on her face and head but no significant injury. McKinnon has no recollection of the incident.

Defence solicitor Tommy Allan said McKinnon had not been seeking to cause serious injury, as he could easily have done.

Although Sheriff Graeme Napier accepted that McKinnon had no significant reason to commit an act of violence, taking a weapon to anyone means custody.

His sentence was backdated to 31st August, which was when he was taken into custody.