A young driver who was “showing off” left four of his friends injured in hospital after careering off a road, smashing through a fence and gate, and rolling into a field at speed.
A court was told that Lewis Moffat, 21, lost control on a bend because he was driving too fast and the group of friends ended up upside down 20m from the road.
Moffat, of Blair Crescent in Auchterarder, admitted driving dangerously and at excessive speed on the Dunfallandy to Logierait road on July 1 2018.
He admitted failing to negotiate a bend, mounting a verge, hitting a fence and gate before rolling the car on to its roof and injuring all four of his passengers.
Depute fiscal Catriona MacQueen told Perth Sheriff Court: “He picked up friends in Pitlochry and decided to go for a drive to Aberfeldy.
“The accused was described by all to be driving quickly for the road and they formed the opinion he may be showing off,” she said.
“On approach to a bend he mounted the verge, and drove through a fence. It collided with a large farm gate before coming to rest on its roof.
“The four passengers were taken to Perth Royal Infirmary,” she said, adding that they had a variety of injuries and that one was transferred to Ninewells Hospital.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said: “He is a young man with his own difficulties. He accepts he was driving too fast.”
Sheriff Gillian Wade banned Moffat for two years and ordered him to re-sit the extended driving test.
She also ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work.