A biker who repeatedly sped past a grandmother, her two grandchildren and their dogs on an Angus footpath, while shouting abuse, has been jailed at Arbroath Sheriff Court.
Darren Coull (30), of Traill Terrace, Montrose, had previously admitted that on August 17, while disqualified, he culpably and recklessly drove a motorbike on the route between Provost Reids Road and East Links.
He further admitted causing the grandmother and her children to step onto the gravel and pull the dogs out of the way after speeding past them on four occasions and mounting the grass verge.
The court heard the grandmother had been walking from a nearby vets’ surgery with her 11-year-old and 15-year-old grandchildren at around 7pm.
Depute fiscal Alastair Learmont said, “They heard what appeared to be a motorbike coming down the path and looked toward the entrance of Provost Reids Road where they saw an orange scrambler motorcycle drive onto the path.
“Alarmed by what she had seen the complainer shouted ‘no, no stop’ because she was worried her dogs might get run over.
“The motorbike followed down the path before she could get the dogs onto the lead and then mounted the grass just past them.”
Coull then drove his bike past the family several times, revving the engine.
The woman told her granddaughter to pretend she was calling the police as she felt the rider was trying to intimidate them.
Mr Learmont said, “He approached the complainer and heard her mentioning the police.
“It seems he then made a gesture at her with his middle finger.”
After taking a volley of verbal abuse, the grandmother did decide to contact the police.
Coull’s defence agent told the court he was ashamed of what he had done and confirmed the family were strangers to him at the time of the incident.
Sheriff Richard McFarlane said on Tuesday, “It appears you have driven your motorbike at them with no justification.”
Coull was sentenced to a combined sentence of 15 months in jail and was banned from driving.