A hard-up aristocrat has been allowed to avoid a totting-up drive ban so he can work delivering takeaway food for Just Eat.
Clan chief-in-waiting Graham Roderick Laurence Oliphant of Oliphant Younger convinced a court a ban would cause him “exceptional hardship”.
Oliphant, who descends from a 1,000-year-old line of Scottish noblemen, faced a ban after racking up four speeding offences in the space of a few months.
Dundee’s Justice of the Peace Court was told Oliphant – a neighbour of the Royal Family in Glamis – had been clocked speeding in the city on October 2 last year.
He admitted speeding at 51mph in a 40mph zone on Kingsway West and the A90 at Charlotte Street in his eight-year-old Peugeot 2008.
He had three penalty points imposed upon his licence and – with nine points already – faced a totting-up ban after reaching the 12-point threshold.
However, solicitor Doug McConnell, defending, told an exceptional hardship hearing Oliphant, 69, had fallen on hard times despite his aristocratic background.
Just Eat job
Mr McConnell said: “His address out in Glamis is remote.
“He earns his money through working for Just Eat, where he is a delivery driver.
“He has a very small pension that will not cover his rent.
“If he is disqualified, clearly he would lose his employment.
“You can tell from his name and voice etcetera that he comes from a fairly well-to-do family but he has fallen on very, very hard times and that is his only income.
“He is £25,000 in debt and has no savings.
“There is nothing to allow him the ability to live if he does not continue with this employment.
“There is no other option in respect of work at the present time.”
‘Good Samaritan’
The court heard his first speeding offence had happened when he was driving his estranged ex-wife to hospital and was distracted by the “toxic” nature of their relationship.
Mr McConnell said the subsequent three offences – including the one being dealt with at the JP Court – were committed while Oliphant was trying to be a Good Samaritan to a man he met in McDonald’s.
He said of the “unusual” background: “He was looking after quite a seriously unwell man.
“I don’t know the real reason but he was trying to be a Good Samaritan and looking after him.
“This man has quite significant difficulties and my client allowed him to stay in his house.
“This man was being shuttled around by Mr Oliphant to get assistance.
“He was soiling himself in the car and doing various other odd and quite disgusting things and Mr Oliphant tried to do his best.
“This led to stupid decisions like going slightly too fast and trying to get him places quickly.”
The Justice of the Peace granted the exceptional hardship bid and allowed Oliphant to stay on the road but fined him £100.
Aristocratic background
Oliphant is the son of Reginald Godfrey Laurence Oliphant of Condie, Younger and Joan Rosalind Mary Lawrence, and the grandson of Rear-Admiral Laurence Richard Oliphant and the Hon. Adelaide Daphne Hermione Willoughby.
His grandfather was a Major in the Seaforth Highlander and was mentioned in dispatches twice for his war service.
He became Deputy Chairman of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation after 1963.
His grandmother was the daughter of Godfrey Ernest Willoughby, 10th Baron Middleton of Middleton.
The accused is listed as the presumptive heir to the Oliphant Clan, whose list of chiefs date back to the 11th century and arrived in Scotland soon after.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
