Nwicker60
08-Nov-11, 16:54
Car driver tried to run me down claims man who had to jump clear in street
A WICK man told a court of the day he had to jump clear to avoid being run down by a car.
Alexander MacAlpine alleged that the driver was out to get him. At best, he would have ended up with two broken legs...at worst, been killed.
Mr MacAlpine identified the driver, in the dock at Wick Sheriff Court, today, as Damon Mackay (20) who denies a charge of dangerous driving.
Mr MacAlpine (22) told the court that he had had been visiting friends in Murchison Street, Wick, on April 30th. He had left the house with a friend, Donna Macphee, and waited by a car for someone who was going to give them a lift. Miss Macphee was standing on the kerb by the rear passenger door and Mr MacAlpine was in the road by the other rear passenger door.
Mr MacAlpine said that he heard the sound of a car revving and looked round to see a red Peugeot speeding towards him driven by Mackay who lives at 4 Portormin Road, Dunbeath. The witness said he just had time to open the passenger door and jump inside, as the accused swerved in his direction.
Asked by senior fiscal depute, David Barclay what would have happened, had he not been able to get out of the way, Mr MacAlpine replied: “My two legs would have been broken, maybe my back as well” and added: “He would have killed me just like he tried to do to my brother, a year ago.”
Mr MacAlpine said that Mackay drove on up Murchison Street and round a junction at the top in a ‘mad ‘manner.”
Questioned further by Mr Barclay, Mr MacAlpine said that he was in no doubt that Mackay had been trying to hit him and added that the incident had given Miss Macphee a fright and she had screamed.
Cross examined by solicitor Neil Wilson, Mr MacAlpine agreed that he didn’t like Mackay because of what he had done to his brother Gary MacAlpine, who was watching the trial from the public benches.
Alexander MacAlpine, who lives in Wick, continued: “He tried to kill my brother, one year and me the next.”
Mr Wilson however, suggested that Mr MacAlpine had been trying to get his own back on Mackay and went on: “You and Miss Macphee are lying and the pair of you have come up with this story, this invented allegation against Mr Mackay.”
Mr MacAlpine: “Why would I do that?...”
Mr Wilson: “Because you don’t like him for what he did to your brother.” The solicitor put another scenario to the witness which had him standing by the passenger door and suddenly jumping out forcing Mr Mackay to swerve to avoid him.
Mr Willson said: “ You and your friend (Miss Macphee) are lying to get Mr Mackay into trouble.”
Mr MacAlpine: “Are you calling me a liar?”
Mr Wilson: “I am calling you a liar.”
Miss Macphee corroborated Mr MacAlpine’s account and insisted that Mackay had been trying to run him down, saying; “He was driving as if he was going to hit him. Alexander was really white and shaking and frightened.”
She said that she couldn’t identify the driver but when asked to look round the court she indicated Mackay as resembling the driver.
Miss Macphee denied the suggested scenario that Mr MacAlpine had stepped out into the path of the car forcing the driver to swerve. She also rejected the suggestion that Mr MacAlpine had told her to lie.
Police Constable David Mackenazie was involved in taking statements from the various witnesses including the accused and the three people Mr MacAlpine had been visiting in Murchison Street.
He said that they gave a somewhat contradictory version of events to the one given by Mr MacAlpine and Miss Macphee.
The Crown closed its case and the defence case will commence on November 24.
A WICK man told a court of the day he had to jump clear to avoid being run down by a car.
Alexander MacAlpine alleged that the driver was out to get him. At best, he would have ended up with two broken legs...at worst, been killed.
Mr MacAlpine identified the driver, in the dock at Wick Sheriff Court, today, as Damon Mackay (20) who denies a charge of dangerous driving.
Mr MacAlpine (22) told the court that he had had been visiting friends in Murchison Street, Wick, on April 30th. He had left the house with a friend, Donna Macphee, and waited by a car for someone who was going to give them a lift. Miss Macphee was standing on the kerb by the rear passenger door and Mr MacAlpine was in the road by the other rear passenger door.
Mr MacAlpine said that he heard the sound of a car revving and looked round to see a red Peugeot speeding towards him driven by Mackay who lives at 4 Portormin Road, Dunbeath. The witness said he just had time to open the passenger door and jump inside, as the accused swerved in his direction.
Asked by senior fiscal depute, David Barclay what would have happened, had he not been able to get out of the way, Mr MacAlpine replied: “My two legs would have been broken, maybe my back as well” and added: “He would have killed me just like he tried to do to my brother, a year ago.”
Mr MacAlpine said that Mackay drove on up Murchison Street and round a junction at the top in a ‘mad ‘manner.”
Questioned further by Mr Barclay, Mr MacAlpine said that he was in no doubt that Mackay had been trying to hit him and added that the incident had given Miss Macphee a fright and she had screamed.
Cross examined by solicitor Neil Wilson, Mr MacAlpine agreed that he didn’t like Mackay because of what he had done to his brother Gary MacAlpine, who was watching the trial from the public benches.
Alexander MacAlpine, who lives in Wick, continued: “He tried to kill my brother, one year and me the next.”
Mr Wilson however, suggested that Mr MacAlpine had been trying to get his own back on Mackay and went on: “You and Miss Macphee are lying and the pair of you have come up with this story, this invented allegation against Mr Mackay.”
Mr MacAlpine: “Why would I do that?...”
Mr Wilson: “Because you don’t like him for what he did to your brother.” The solicitor put another scenario to the witness which had him standing by the passenger door and suddenly jumping out forcing Mr Mackay to swerve to avoid him.
Mr Willson said: “ You and your friend (Miss Macphee) are lying to get Mr Mackay into trouble.”
Mr MacAlpine: “Are you calling me a liar?”
Mr Wilson: “I am calling you a liar.”
Miss Macphee corroborated Mr MacAlpine’s account and insisted that Mackay had been trying to run him down, saying; “He was driving as if he was going to hit him. Alexander was really white and shaking and frightened.”
She said that she couldn’t identify the driver but when asked to look round the court she indicated Mackay as resembling the driver.
Miss Macphee denied the suggested scenario that Mr MacAlpine had stepped out into the path of the car forcing the driver to swerve. She also rejected the suggestion that Mr MacAlpine had told her to lie.
Police Constable David Mackenazie was involved in taking statements from the various witnesses including the accused and the three people Mr MacAlpine had been visiting in Murchison Street.
He said that they gave a somewhat contradictory version of events to the one given by Mr MacAlpine and Miss Macphee.
The Crown closed its case and the defence case will commence on November 24.