New line of defence at the sheriff court

Orkney and Shetland procurator fiscal Sue Foard, watched by sheriff clerk Anne Moore, demonstrates what she has learned in basic self defence with Sergeant Jim Pryde (left) and Constable Mike Don. (Picture: Orkney Photographic)

Orkney’s procurator fiscal will be defending herself when she next appears in court.

But, before jumping to any conclusions, Sue Foard, has not committed any crime – she has been learning the art of self defence.

Despite Orkney being the safest place to live in Britain, 13 support staff within the court building and police station in Kirkwall, were taken through the basics of self defence last week.

So, the message is simple. If you don’t want to feel the long arm of the law, around your neck that is – then don’t mess with Sue Foard, Orkney and Shetland’s fiscal, or Anne Moore, sheriff clerk in Kirkwall.

Sergeant Jim Pryde and Constable Mike Don were in charge of the basic instruction, important, they say, in the unlikely event that they are attacked or find themselves in a potentially violent situation.

It was a first for Sue Foard, who found herself struggling to retaliate. You could be forgiven for thinking she was in the wrong profession as she proclaimed: “I hate violence. I am not used to being physical – it is something that is quite alien to me.”

However, Mike Don, appreciative of the fiscal’s gentle nature, was dressed for the occasion in a padded suit and protective shield.

Sue Foard worked within the Glasgow courts before coming to Orkney, but despite the obvious differences, she said she had never been physically attacked in either.

“We can get people being aggressive against us verbally,” she said. “But nothing physical has ever happened to me, not in Glasgow either. I know of a couple of cases in England but that is about it.”

The officers took their trainees through their paces in the hope and expectation that they never need to use it in “a place like Orkney”.

“It is best to be prepared,” Sue Foard said. “The main thing is not to panic, to try and persuade the person to go away. If they do not go away we were shown how to free yourself from them to give you time to get away and within the law to use what is reasonable in all the circumstances.

“If someone came up behind you, where you aim your blow to try and get them to let go. It is all about breaking their release on you and getting distance between you.”

Even after the self defence training, Sue Foard is not convinced she would be able to match up to anyone, but says it is more likely she would try to talk someone out of it.

“I believe in the power of speech,” she said.

Both the procurator fiscal and sheriff clerk, in line with national policy, are protected from the general public by security screens within their Orkney offices.

It was a bit like David and Goliath as petite Anne Moore tackled a six feet something aggressive chap (okay, it was really officer Mike Don in his padded suit).

Of her small stature and the increased problems that might entail for her, Anne Moore, again a first time graduate in self defence, said: “The difficulty was for the policeman more than me – he did not know where I was going to hit him.”

Despite picking up several tips on how to look after herself, Anne Moore did question how easy it would be to carry them out in a “real” situation.

“It was basically how to stop somebody or delay them. If someone comes towards you, tell them to go away, then if they did not take a telling, push them off. If they were going to become more aggressive then use a bit more force, whether it be punching or kneeing. The aim is to stop them in their tracks.”

Both found the class beneficial in giving ideas on how to deal with potentially violent situations.

The fiscal and sheriff clerk were offered the classes because of their working environment and the fact they often have to work with violent or potentially violent people.

Sergeant Jim Pryde praised all their efforts.

“It was to give them a basic awareness of what threat may occur, that could be anything from someone under the influence of alcohol or drugs or a person who is violent or a person who has a specific difficulty which is making them violent.”

By giving them information, it is hoped it might be possible to defuse a situation before it gets out of hand.

“Also in basic defence – keep a certain distance, outwith strike range,” Sergeant Pryde said. “Should there be an incident there are certain techniques to assist them which include basic fend-offs, pushing someone away from you and basic strikes.”

It all comes down to giving yourself time to react and get away, he said.

Size does not make much difference, as there is always someone bigger or fitter than you out there.

“This is not to make them martial arts experts, but to give them options.”