A banned driver who drove at 107mph on the M90 motorway in Perthshire and also drove at about 70mph through contraflow roadworks while roads staff were working has been jailed for 10 months.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how Charles Gardiner (29), of Noran Avenue, Arbroath, failed to stop when asked to do so by police and then later continued to drive while being pursued by two police vehicles, during his journey northwards late in the evening.
He only stopped when police carried out a two-vehicle ”tactical” manoeuvre on the Friarton Bridge, Perth.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said police were carrying out ”random” speed checks near junction 5 of the M90 when they noticed the accused’s driving.
”At 10.10pm, officers saw the accused and noted his speed at 107mph,” she said. ”The police activated their blue light and signalled to the accused to stop in a layby at junction 7. The accused failed to react to the patrol car and continued travelling north on to a contraflow.”
The court heard the road was reduced to a single carriageway with vehicles using the nearside lane and hard shoulder.
A temporary speed limit of 50mph was in operation but the accused drove at speeds between 60mph and 70mph.
Ms Whyte added: ”The accused passed traffic management staff who were working on the carriageway, while being pursued by police with their blue lights and siren on. He continued to drive, overtaking vehicles near junction 10 at Craigend.
”The officers were then joined by another car and both vehicles carried out a tactical manoeuvre which forced the accused to stop on the Friarton Bridge. Police checked his details which showed that the accused was disqualified from driving.”
Solicitor Grant Bruce, defending, said his client had tried to pull over on two occasions but there were lorries in laybys.
”My client was going to Perth Royal Infirmary as his partner, who was pregnant, was bleeding, and he wanted to get to the hospital as quickly as he could,” he said.
Gardiner admitted that on September 15 on the M90 Inverkeithing to Perth motorway at junction 5, Gairneybridge, he drove while disqualified and without insurance.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge that on the same date and location he drove dangerously by travelling at speeds in excess of 70mph and up to 107mph in a 70mph limit at junction 5, Gairneybridge, and overtook slower moving vehicles in one lane; while on the northbound carriageway at junction 8, Arlary, he failed to stop for a marked police car; travelled between 50mph and 70mph through contraflow roadworks on the northbound carriageway while workers were carrying out their duties and caused other road users to move on to the hard shoulder and stopped his car only when forced to do so by two police vehicles.
Sentencing Gardiner, Sheriff Michael Fletcher told him: ”This was a very dangerous incident carried out by a person who was disqualified at the time. I don’t think I can deal with this other than by a custodial sentence.”
Gardiner was sentenced to 10 months in jail, backdated to September 17, and he was banned from driving for five years.