A budding Romeo who put the foot down in a “moment of exuberance” after a Dundee date with a new flame went well has dodged jail, despite hitting almost 140 miles per hour.
Robert Doyle was on his way home to Montrose from the Saturday night out when his powerful Volkswagen Golf was clocked at just over the ton by police parked beside the A92 dual carriageway between Carnoustie and Arbroath last August.
They gave chase and watched as Doyle powered past other vehicles in the outside lane, with a VASCAR speed device in the police car recording the accused at 139.8mph.
Doyle, 23, of Charleton Place, Montrose, previously admitted driving dangerously on the A92 on August 27, whilst on bail from Aberdeen sheriff court, and returned to court in Forfar for sentencing having previously been warned that he could be going to prison.
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said his client, who was made the subject of an interim driving ban following his first appearance, recognised the seriousness of the offence.
“He has asked me to apologise to the court for his actions, he accepts that driving at that speed was foolhardy,” said Mr Markowski.
“He has an extremely limited record and is in full-time employment at an Aberdeenshire food factory.”
Mr Markowski added: “This was a moment of over exuberance. It was a Saturday evening, the weather was fine and the traffic flow was extremely light.
“He had not had a particularly good start to 2016, a long-term relationship had ended, but he had been on a date in Dundee and was travelling back from that in an extremely positive mood.
“It was a clear bit of road and he accepts that his exuberance got the better of him. While he accepts there was potential for difficulty he was extremely fortunate that nothing did happen.”
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown told Doyle: “You have driven at a speed that was highly dangerous, but I take into account your limited record and the very positive terms of the (social work) report.”
Doyle received a two-year Community Payback Order, including 75 hours unpaid work, and was banned from the road for 12 months, following which he must re-sit an extended driving test.
