A Dundee man caught in a 108mph mercy dash to his hospital-bound mother held on to his driving licence.
Gary Bell had rushed from Aberdeen after receiving a call telling him his mother had taken a “bad turn” after one of three failed suicide attempts following the death of her husband, but was caught by traffic police near Forfar after putting the foot down in his Toyota Supra.
Bell (47), a joiner from Trottick Mains, appeared before Sheriff Kevin Veal at Forfar where he admitted speeding near South Tarbrax, between Forfar and Dundee, on August 31.
Defence agent Brian Bell told the court his client’s father had died in June 2009 in Manchester, while he and his wife were on holiday.
“His mother has found it extremely difficult to get over the death and has made attempts on three occasions to take her own life,” he said.
He added she was an inpatient at Liff Hospital on the day of the speeding offence, and when the accused was given a message saying she was not well he “shot down” to Dundee from Aberdeen.
The agent said Bell no longer has the 16-year-old sports car. Sheriff Veal told the accused he was perilously close to a dangerous driving charge.
“This is a very high speed that would normally attract disqualification,” he said. “There are mitigating factors principally the condition of his mother,” continued the sheriff, who was also given a letter from a senior nurse at the hospital.
“But for the special mitigatory plea and the support of the Royal Liff Hospital, it is difficult to see how disqualification could have been avoided.”
He fined Bell £500 and imposed six penalty points on his licence.