Nwicker60
24-Jan-15, 09:45
Nightmare ride across county could well have ended in tragedy sheriff tells accused
A TEENAGE joyrider who drove across a Highland county at high speed was told by a sheriff that the "nightmare" escapade could well have ended in tragedy.At one point, Scott Dunnett's two passengers urged him to stop the car, which had two bald tyres, but he paid no attention and ended up crashing into a wall in Thurso, Wick Sheriff Court heard, yesterday.
The 18-year-old learner driver admitted a charge of dangerous driving and was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.
The court heard that the first offender picked up two friends in the village of Castletown village, on October 23, last year and drove on to Wick then onto Halkirk and finally towards Thurso.
Police travelling from the opposite direction, met Dunnett and turned to pursue him, activating their blue light.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that the accused's car acclerated, leaving the police behind. Dunnett's passengers urged him to stop but he refused to do so.
The police caught up with Dunnett entering Thurso and commented that he was travelling "well in excess of the speed limit". In Market Street, the accused lost control and hit a wall. When spoken to by officers he replied- "I just panicked".
When examined, the vehicle, which was a write-off, was found to have two front tyres which had no measurable tread and "shouldn't have been on the road even travelling at a legal speed" added the fiscal.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that Dunnett, an engineering/construction student, accepted he should not have been driving the vehicle in the first place.
She added: "Instead of having the sense to stop when the police came up behind him, he panicked".
Sheriff Andrew Berry said: "This is the stuff of nightmares. In this and other courts and in the media we we regularly learn of road incidents which cause untold pain and suffering for those involved and for innocent people and their families. This case is as close to that as anyone would have wanted to be. You were not entitled to be driving at all."
Dunnett, of 10 Dunnet Road, Thurso, (both correct but spelt slightly different) was also banned from driving for two years and will require to resit and pass a driving test when his disqualification ends.
A TEENAGE joyrider who drove across a Highland county at high speed was told by a sheriff that the "nightmare" escapade could well have ended in tragedy.At one point, Scott Dunnett's two passengers urged him to stop the car, which had two bald tyres, but he paid no attention and ended up crashing into a wall in Thurso, Wick Sheriff Court heard, yesterday.
The 18-year-old learner driver admitted a charge of dangerous driving and was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.
The court heard that the first offender picked up two friends in the village of Castletown village, on October 23, last year and drove on to Wick then onto Halkirk and finally towards Thurso.
Police travelling from the opposite direction, met Dunnett and turned to pursue him, activating their blue light.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that the accused's car acclerated, leaving the police behind. Dunnett's passengers urged him to stop but he refused to do so.
The police caught up with Dunnett entering Thurso and commented that he was travelling "well in excess of the speed limit". In Market Street, the accused lost control and hit a wall. When spoken to by officers he replied- "I just panicked".
When examined, the vehicle, which was a write-off, was found to have two front tyres which had no measurable tread and "shouldn't have been on the road even travelling at a legal speed" added the fiscal.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that Dunnett, an engineering/construction student, accepted he should not have been driving the vehicle in the first place.
She added: "Instead of having the sense to stop when the police came up behind him, he panicked".
Sheriff Andrew Berry said: "This is the stuff of nightmares. In this and other courts and in the media we we regularly learn of road incidents which cause untold pain and suffering for those involved and for innocent people and their families. This case is as close to that as anyone would have wanted to be. You were not entitled to be driving at all."
Dunnett, of 10 Dunnet Road, Thurso, (both correct but spelt slightly different) was also banned from driving for two years and will require to resit and pass a driving test when his disqualification ends.