In this week’s Shetland Times

In today’s (Friday, 10th May) edition of The Shetland Times:

• Anger over series of SSE dramas.
• Shocking closure of TSB bank.
• Fifty-year-old jailed of Lerwick murder bid.
• EXCLUSIVE: Complaint to ethics body raised against unnamed councillor.
• EXCLUSIVE: Return date set for repaired Skerries ferry.
• REVIEWS: Folk Festival provides good cheer.
• More backing for Dogs Against Drugs campaign as petition reaches 1,500 signatures.
• Plans revealed for college to close Lerwick campus.
• SPORT: Reports and reaction from narrow Blues defeat in hockey’s District Cup.

Officer pepper-sprayed violent offender who tried to gouge his eye

An officer pepper-sprayed a man who tried to gouge his eye during a violent attack, a court heard.

Man, 50, guilty of murder bid in town

A 50-year-old who was once jailed for a school stabbing is back behind bars for trying to kill a man in Lerwick.

Stephen Savage, 50, carried out a brutal knife attack on Ross Sutherland on 17th September 2022 in the town’s Grostane area.

Jurors heard how Mr Sutherland was blamed for £20 going missing at the property.

One witness described a “loud frenzy” as the victim desperately tried to protect himself.

Savage had denied the attempted murder charge during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

But, he was found guilty and will learn his fate when he returns to the dock next month.

Savage, of Glasgow, had previously been locked up for four-and-a-half years in 2012 for an unprovoked attack on a dad outside a primary school in the city.

The Shetland murder bid occurred after Savage ended up at the house where the crime occurred. He was not known to most of those there.

Witnesses said an argument erupted about money being stolen and Mr Sutherland was blamed.

Savage was then seen clutching a blade.

Violet Robertson, 51, told the court: “I just saw him with it in his hand, waving it about and Ross was trying to protect himself.”

She told the court Mr Sutherland was “in a panic” trying to escape from Savage.

Mr Guarino asked the witness if Savage was the only person there that day armed with a knife.

She confirmed he was.

Miss Robertson said: “Ross said, ‘I have been stabbed’. He could hardly breathe. He was bleeding out and in that much pain.”

The court heard Mr Sutherland was left scarred for life as a result of the attack.

Lord Harrower remanded Savage in custody and deferred sentencing until next month in Dundee.

Labour reveals candidate for general election

The Labour candidate for Orkney and Shetland’s seat at the upcoming general election has been announced.

Conor Savage has been put forward by Scottish Labour to challenge the Liberal Democrats stronghold on the seat.

Mr Savage is a sustainable finance expert who works as an environment, social and governance programme manager for Sainsbury’s.

He is also an early career polar and marine scientist, specialising on the impact of climate change on the Arctic.

He said it was “an honour” to be in the running for the seat.

“People here, across Scotland, and all over the UK are demanding change,” he said.

“We are being let down by two failing governments. Only a Labour government, with Labour MPs here in Scotland, can deliver the change our country needs.” 

Mr Savage’s priorities for the upcoming election include improve transport links to Orkney and Shetland, tackling the cost of living crisis and increasing the availability of affordable housing in the isles.

All of the major political parties have now revealed their candidates for the UK general election, which will take place at some point this year.

These are: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat), Robert Leslie (SNP), Alex Armitage (Scottish Green’s), Shane Painter (Conservative) and Conor Savage (Labour).

‘Big shock’ as tiny premature seal found

Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary said it got a “big shock” after a premature seal pup was spotted in Rerwick.

The tiny seal, who was been named Frankie, is potentially the smallest pup the sanctuary has ever taken in.

They said they had not expected to get any pups for at least six or seven weeks.

And they described Frankie as “a real little fighter”.

Frankie is believed to have been abandoned by his mother, and has since been taken in by the Hillswick sanctuary.

“On arrival he weighed just five kilos, which possibly makes him the smallest pup we have ever taken in,” it said.

“We now have our work cut out keeping this wee fellow alive.”

Massive power outage after reported pole fire

Thousands of people were left without power last night (Saturday) after reports of a pole on fire near Mossbank.

All of the North Isles were affected by the outage, with parts of the North Mainland also without power.

Some parts of Yell, Unst and Fetlar only had power restored in the early hours of the morning.

The Shetland Folk Festival concert in Baltasound was one of those plunged into darkness during the night, along with a concert in Aith.

SSE said power had since been restored to all properties.