In the early months of 1633, John Sinclair of Hoy, Orkney, found himself amid a storm of accusations that he had engaged in the practice of witchcraft. Note that this period in Scottish history was marked by widespread fear and suspicion regarding the dark arts and the malign influence alleged witches could exert over their communities. His case was recorded on the 30th of January, 1633, and the records suggest that the ecclesiastical hierarchy of Orkney may have been involved, notably under the jurisdiction of the Bishopric of Orkney.
On the following day, 31st of January, 1633, John faced his trial. The exact court in which the proceedings took place is not clearly identified in the records, though there is an indication that it may have been the Lawting, a traditional court of the Shetland and Orkney islands with a historic Norse heritage. Trials for witchcraft in this era often involved intense questioning and the reliance on testimonies, sometimes extracted under duress or through coercion, from neighbours and acquaintances. The records do not reveal specific accusations or evidence presented against John, but his trial within the stringent legal and ecclesiastical frameworks indicates the severity with which such allegations were treated in early modern Scotland.