The proceedings of the Duns Sheriff Court reveal the changing ethnic nature of Eastern Berwickshire. Two cases this week: one involved a Latvian –crashing his car to avoid a rabbit but doing so without insurance-and the other a Portuguese driver under the influence of drink. Many Europeans are attracted to Duns to work in the Farne Salmon farm and Eyemouth
is becoming an increasingly popular base for mostly Portuguese fishermen. Sadly they do not seem to bring a better class of crime-more exotic than the norm-with them. What they are doing is putting increasing strain on cheap housing stock in the area-can be up to 100 applications for Berwickshire Housing Associations rented housing and I fear we may see the start of local Xenophobia against ‘immigrants’ if local people are seen to being shut out of the affordable housing market.
“
Eyemouth youth gave Nazi salute to Police” covered the case of an Eyemouth teenager who did a Basil Fawlty type gesture to a police patrol car. Sentence was deferred ‘after the court heard he had changed his ways’ (in an unspecified manner) Finally Sheriff Kevin had to deal with ‘the antics’ of a Coldstream man who swore at police when they asked him to move from the middle of the road-he said he would stand there if he wanted. Fined £200. Perhaps this is the type of offence our Portuguese and Latvian guests should seek to emulate to gain local acceptability.
