Police were forced to crash into a dangerous driver to stop him getting too close to a primary school, following a dramatic chase through Dundee and rural Angus.
George Kane refused to stop for officers who wanted to question him about a suspected hammer attack.
Four police units were involved in the chase through Dundee’s Pitkerro and Ballumbie areas and Kellas in rural Angus, Perth Sheriff Court heard.
It ended when a police vehicle rammed into Kane’s Vauxhall Corsa – described by prosecutors as “tactical contact”.
Driving ‘appalling’ and ‘disgraceful’
Kane, 30, appeared in the dock and pled guilty to drug-driving in Dundee on March 28 in 2022.
He also admitted driving dangerously at 12 locations on March 29 2022.
He returned to the dock to be sentenced and was slapped with a three-year driving ban.
Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC told Kane: “Over the course of two days, your behaviour in a car was appalling.
“In particular, your driving on the 29th where you were being followed by police, with attempts to stop you in a residential area, ending up near a school and only stopped because a police officer crashed into you on purpose, was disgraceful.
“Custody has been at the forefront of my mind.
“However, I note that you are currently on a community payback order with various conditions in place.
“I am very narrowly persuaded to impose a further community payback order.
“You should be aware… this is an alternative to custody.”
The sheriff imposed a 36-month driving ban and Kane must resit the extended test before getting behind the wheel again.
For his offending on March 28, he was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work in six months.
In relation to his driving the next day, he was sentenced to 200 hours unpaid work, to be completed in a year.
Kane was told his sentence was not being discounted because he was remaining at liberty.
Dundee pursuit
Previously, Fiscal depute Duncan McKenzie said police first spotted Kane car “driving in an erratic manner” on Arbroath Road on March 28.
He was pulled over and was unsteady of his feet and slurring his speech but returned a negative breath test so police formed the opinion he was under the influence of drugs.
He was released from police custody that afternoon but Mr McKenzie said, the following morning, officers searching for him in relation to another matter saw him on Longtown Road, Dundee.
Mr McKenzie said he ignored their blue lights and was followed to Pitkerro Road, where another police vehicle blocked the road.
“However, the accused continued to mount the pavement and drove around the police vehicle.
“Mr Kane continued to drive along several roads with police vehicles pursuing.“
Two more police units joined the chase and overtook the original officers in an effort to “contain” Kane’s vehicle.
Mr McKenzie said: “Mr Kane mounted the verge and attempted to break out.
“Due to being within 500m of a primary school, one of the police vehicles made tactical contact with Mr Kane’s vehicle to block it moving forward.
“Mr Kane and two other occupants were removed from the car.”
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