A drunk driver who abandoned his car after smashing into two vehicles on Christmas morning was later tracked down by a police dog as he hid in bushes.
Shaun Connelly was four times the legal alcohol limit when he got behind the wheel in Broughty Ferry before 10am.
He appeared from custody at Dundee Sheriff Court and admitted driving carelessly and refusing to provide breath for analysis at West Bell Street HQ.
The court heard he had been followed by a concerned motorist who watched him damage his own car and two others, before fleeing the scene.
The 29-year-old, who has been convicted of drink-driving before, was fined and hit with a three-year ban.
Police Scotland referred to the incident on social media and said police dog Nash, who tracked down Connelly, had earned herself “an extra carrot”.
Christmas crashes
Connelly, of Finavon Terrace, Dundee, admitted driving carelessly on Balgillo Road, Seafield Road and Camperdown Street in Broughty Ferry on December 25.
He pled guilty to colliding with a Honda Jazz and a Ford Transit van.
Prosecutor Michael Robertson explained another motorist spotted Connelly driving at 9.50am.
“They observed the offending vehicle travelling east in front of him, then swerving between lanes.
“That caused the witness concern that the driver may be having a medical episode or may be intoxicated.”
The motorist followed Connelly on Balgillo Road and watched him veer towards the nearside pavement, colliding with a Honda Jazz, which was shunted 15 metres further along the road, causing damage to it and then to the van.
Worried by the crash, the witness went to Connelly’s car but the inebriated driver made off.
Dog search
Police were told Connelly was last seen heading south along Seafield Road but he later left the vehicle, which officers found had been driven while extensively damaged.
After 10 minutes of searching, police dog Nash found Connelly hiding in bushes.
He was unstable on his feet, slurring his words and smelling of alcohol.
Connelly was taken to Ninewells after providing a roadside breath reading of 87 mics, almost four times the limit of 22 mics.
Once he was taken to police headquarters, he refused to complete the drink-drive procedure and provide breath to analyse there, stating he felt intimidated.
Police Scotland shared a photo of PD Nash on its Facebook page.
The group posted: “PD Nash was busy on Christmas Day when a driver who was under the influence crashed into several vehicles before making off from police.
“PD Nash tracked him hiding in some bushes.
“Extra carrot for Nash with her Christmas dinner while it was dinner in the cells for the driver.”
Full responsibility
Solicitor Jane Caird said: “Mr Connelly obviously takes full responsibility. He is pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.
“He doesn’t have a very good explanation for refusing the breath test.
“His position is that one of the police officers was being quite aggressive with him when he was asking for the subsequent breath samples.
“He does suffer with anxiety and that’s the reason – he accepts he was driving under the influence of alcohol.
“I fully accept this is a fairly bad drink driving incident.
“He’s under no illusion he will receive a lengthy ban.”
Ms Caird explained her client, whose partner is currently pregnant, was due to start a new job as a counter stock assistant on December 30.
Sheriff John Rafferty fined Connelly £1,475 and disqualified him from driving for a total of three years.
The sheriff noted ordering reports would cost the public money and Connelly is already engaging with his GP.
The court heard that in 2016, Connelly was convicted of drink-driving in connection with an incident the year before.
In 2022, Connelly forced his way into his ex-girlfriend’s house and threatened to kill her before being found by police dangling upside down from an upstairs window.
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