A Perth takeaway chef spotted by police speeding through Perth reversed down a one-way street to escape capture.
Hassan Mohammed carried out a handbrake turn after police signalled for him to stop at traffic lights in Canal Street.
Police on foot lost the 25-year-old as he drove up Charles Street but found out he was the driver of the private-plated vehicle when they checked with its registered owner.
At Perth Sheriff Court, he was fined and disqualified from driving.
Spotted speeding
Fiscal depute Sarah Wilkinson explained to the court police had been on patrol on foot shortly after midnight on August 9 2020 as part of Operation City Safe.
Their attention was drawn to the sound of a vehicle engine accelerating, she said.
Police saw Mohammed turn from Scott Street onto South Street, travelling at excessive speeds.
The entire city centre is subject to a 20mph limit.
More units were requested to attend and pedestrian police caught up with Mohammed after he had travelled along Tay Street and up Canal Street.
Just metres away from his vehicle, which was stopped at the Scott Street junction traffic lights, police gestured for him to pull over.
There were pedestrians nearby.
But Mohammed reversed away at speed back down the one-way street and performed a handbrake turn to disappear up the side of the Matalan store.
Ms Wilkinson said: “As constables approached the front of the vehicle, both used hand signals for the accused to remain in position.
“At they were approximately five metres away from the vehicle, the accused observed the constables approaching and immediately engaged in reverse.
“He reversed at speed approximately 30 metres the wrong direction on Canal Street and conducted a handbrake turn manoeuvre over lanes one and two before speeding away from view on Charles Street to evade police.”
Officers checked with the vehicle’s registered keeper who identified Mohammed was driving.
When he was questioned about his actions by police, he said: “I missed a turn.”
Banned
Aladdin’s takeaway chef Mohammed, of Almond Gardens in Perth, admitted driving dangerously and failing to stop for police.
His solicitor Linda Clark said he had finished work later than usual and was keen to get home.
She added: “Certainly he was driving in excess of the speed limit.
“He tells me he’d missed a turn. There are ways to turn your vehicle around not in the manner he chose to drive on that particular occasion.
“He is well aware that inevitably a disqualification will be imposed today.”
Ms Clark said her client would prefer a fine to unpaid work to allow him to take on more paid shifts.
Sheriff Paul Reid ordered Mohammed to pay £400 for the dangerous driving, £220 for failing to stop for police and a £40 victim surcharge.
He also banned Mohammed for 16 months and ordered him to complete the extended test before getting behind the wheel again.
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