A 19-YEAR-OLD man has been charged over claims he deliberately reversed into a police car and nearly struck an officer.
It is alleged that PC Simon Lee was in the process of getting out of his vehicle when Conor MacLeod crashed into it on a Dundee street.
MacLeod, of Lawton Terrace, appeared in private at Dundee Sheriff Court in relation to seven charges.
He made no plea or declaration when appearing on petition.
The charges relate to seven alleged offences that are said to have happened on November 12 in the Law area of Dundee.
MacLeod is charged with driving a car without insurance, without a licence, and without an MOT certificate. And he is charged with dangerous driving by deliberately reversing his vehicle towards an unmarked police vehicle, being driven by PC Frank Donald at Law Road.
This charge goes on to state that PC Lee was in the process of alighting from the vehicle when MacLeod allegedly hit it, and that PC Lee was forced to take evasive action to avoid being struck by MacLeod’s vehicle.
And it states that both vehicles were damaged as a result of the alleged offence. MacLeod also faces a charge of failing to stop and provide his details following the incident, and a charge of failing to report the incident to police.
And he faces a final charge of keeping an unlicensed vehicle on a public road. The case was continued for further investigation and MacLeod was remanded in custody meantime.
Figures from Police Scotland show that there was a significant rise in alleged dangerous driving offences reported to officers in the first half of 2015/16 compared to the same period last year.
There were 58 incidents reported this year, compared to just 15 last year. In total, more than 2,000 alleged driving offences were reported.
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