A Stirling motorcyclist drove on the pavement, past children, as he attempted to evade police.
Adam Savage was “having a shot” of someone else’s off-road vehicle when he failed to stop for pursuing officers.
The 20-year-old drove the vehicle over the pavement and through bollards, in close proximity to pedestrians, Stirling Sheriff Court heard.
Fiscal depute Janet MacDonald said: “At around 4.30pm police officers were on mobile patrol when a vehicle came to their attention.
“It was a black officer-road style motorbike which came from Haig Avenue on to Macpherson Drive.
“The rider turned towards the police vehicle and both officers were able to identify the accused.
“At that time they had reason to stop the vehicle so they indicated with their emergency equipment.
“The accused failed to stop and turned onto Ivanhoe Place.
“He thereafter rolled over the footpath, through bollards where members of the public were standing. This included children.”
The prosecutor said: “He drove onto Drip Road and was lost to sight.”
She added that later checks revealed Savage had no insurance.
Solicitor Virgil Crawford, defending, said Savage had been given a loan of the vehicle.
He said: “It was a friend’s motorcycle.
“It was off-road style but was able to be lawfully used on the roads.
“He had been given a shot of it.
“He came to the notice of police as he had no helmet. “
He added that the pavement that Savage drove on had previously been a through road but had been closed off with bollards.
Savage, of Hazelbank Gardens, admitted driving carelessly on streets in the city on July 4 last year.
He further admitted driving without insurance.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton fined Savage £500 and imposed six penalty points on his licence.
Climate change protester in court
A Stirling man is facing jail after admitting that his part in a climate change protest at a fuel distribution depot put the public in danger.
Lewis Conroy, 23, and two fellow protestors from England, Jack Rennie, 31, from Sussex, and Gregory Sculthorpe, 38, from Doncaster, climbed onto facilities at the Ineos plant in Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, and chained themselves to pipework there.
Falkirk Sheriff Court was told that the trio refused to descend despite repeated requests from police and plant employees.
Hasta la vista, baby
Sci-fi classic The Terminator was invoked in court this week, in the case of Callander man Samuel Leach.
The 34-year-old is on a structured deferred sentence for an outburst at The Crags Hotel on August 30 last year.
He admitted acting in a threatening or abusive manner at venue, and during a journey to Falkirk police station.
The court heard he used homophobic and transphobic language.
Leach, of Findlas Gardens, heaped praise on Sheriff Derek Hamilton for giving him a second chance, telling him: “You’re genuine, mate.”
He added: “Unlike the ending of The Terminator, I’ll no be back.”
The sheriff responded: “Well, you have to come back – in three months.”
Leach was told to return to court for a further sentencing hearing in April.
Hotel boss jailed for blaze
An assistant manager who started a fire at his own hotel has been jailed for two years.
Nearly 50 people – eight members of staff and 40 guests including three children – had to be evacuated in the middle of the night as the blaze took hold at the Killin Hotel, in Stirlingshire.
Vimal Verma, live-in assistant operations manager at the hotel, was told by a sheriff that she had read victim impact statements detailing the emotional and psychological damage his actions had caused.
Jailed for £30 torch theft
A Stirling man has been jailed after stealing a £30 torch from an insecure vehicle.
Andrew O’Neill’s long criminal record was given as the reason for choosing to impose a custodial sentence.
The 40-year-old, of De Moray Court, admitted taking the item on Waterfront Way, Cornton, Stirling, on September 7 last year.
He was sentenced to 13 months behind bars.
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