Two young men who drove at excessive speeds in Dunfermline with both having to carry out emergency stops to avoid hitting people have been fined a total of £875 at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
Andrew David (19), of West Baldridge Road, Dunfermline, admitted that on March 20 in Trondheim Parkway he drove a car at excessive speeds on winding roads and had to perform an emergency stop to avoid a collision with members of the public, and drove without due care and attention.
Connor McGuinness (20), of Burt Street, Dunfermline, admitted that on the same date and place he drove a car at excessive speeds on winding roads and had to perform an emergency stop to avoid colliding with another vehicle and members of the public and by doing so mounted a public footpath, and drove without due care and attention.
A not guilty plea submitted by Cameron Ross (18), of Craigton Park, was accepted by the Crown.
Depute fiscal Louise Ward told the court police were on duty at 4.10am dealing with another matter when they heard two cars coming towards them.
“The officers noticed that the cars appeared to be ‘revving’ and that members of the public were in the locus at the time,” she said.
“The police moved the people out of the way and then saw a Ford Fiesta, being driven by David, approach at speed around a corner. The officers signalled for David to stop and he slammed on his brakes and the car skidded to a halt.”
The court heard that McGuinness was also seen by the police driving a Citroen Saxo at excessive speeds and when he slammed on his brakes he mounted a footpath to avoid colliding with another car.
Solicitor Ian Beatson, appearing for David, said his client was “in a hurry” to get home.
Zander Flett, solicitor for McGuinness, said his client was out with a group of friends and that the car he drove was not his.
“It was thought safer that my client drove the car as he had not been drinking whilst other people had. My client only has a provisional licence and accepts he should not have allowed himself to be persuaded to drive,” said Mr Flett.
“He was told he would be driving to an address in Abbeyview, Dunfermline, but he did not know this area so he followed Mr David’s car … He did drive at excessive speed and was not in a position to brake without swerving.”
Sentencing David and McGuinness, Sheriff Ian Dunbar told them, “You are both lucky that this was not a dangerous driving charge. This by any stroke of the imagination was excessive speed, even at 4am when the roads are quiet.
“This was at the top end of the scale of careless driving.”
David was fined £375 and given eight penalty points, and McGuinness was fined £500 and disqualified from driving for six months.