A pair of strangers raced at more than 100mph along the A92 between Carnoustie and Dundee one with an 18-month-old child strapped in the back of his car.
Ryan Ross and Nathan Myles were being followed by an unmarked police patrol car as they blasted along the dual carriageway, tailgating each other and fellow motorists in what a sheriff described as “five minutes of madness”.
Offshore technician Ross, 22, of Thorter Neuk, Dundee, who has now sold his BMW, was fined £1,000 and banned from the road for 16 months after appearing before Sheriff Gregor Murray at Forfar Sheriff Court.
Myles, 23, of Weavers Close, Arbroath, was not in court with his co-accused and will be sentenced on Monday, with a grave warning from the sheriff of the serious consequences he is facing after the court heard there was an adult passenger and an 18-month child in a car seat in his Audi A3 at the time.
Both accused admitted driving dangerously on the A92 between Carnoustie and Dundee on April 26 in an incident which depute fiscal Hannah Kennedy said took place on a Saturday afternoon.
Both cars were seen travelling at excessive speed in the inside lane by police, with Ross ahead and Myles behind, braking frequently as they tailgated other cars.
The pair were recorded by police travelling at speeds ranging from 97 to 105mph.
Ross’ solicitor David Duncan said there was no connection between his client and the co-accused “other than their standard of driving.”
He added: “He describes his behaviour, quite appropriately, as madness and there is no better explanation than that. He has now sold that particular car, partly because he knows what is going to happen to him, but also because he recognises the difficulty of young men having powerful cars.
“He is looking to put this matter behind him and is more than determined there will be no repeat of this kind of conduct,” added Mr Duncan.
Sheriff Murray told Ross: “I accept that in other aspects of your life you are a sensible young man, but five minutes of madness is going to cost you dearly.”