Two Dundee men stole high-powered cars from a Dundee dealership before setting off on what a sheriff described as “amongst the most dangerous” driving he had ever seen, a court has heard.
Kevin O’Donnell (20) and Darren Ross (32) were caught separately by police after stealing a Mercedes C180 and a BMW 325 from South Road Motor Company.
Ross repeatedly drove on the wrong side of the carriageway, causing other drivers to avoid him after he was spotted driving in the stolen car by police.
The previous day, the car had been spotted in Perth, where Ross entered a jeweller’s shop wearing a hood and brandishing a pry bar.
O’Donnell wrote off his stolen vehicle after it collided with a police car, mounted a kerb and ended up on a grass verge. The two men were found guilty following an eight-day trial at Dundee Sheriff Court.
South Road Motors owner John Marr said he was pleased with the jury’s decision.
He said: “I think justice has been done, which is good. I’d like to commend the police on the job they did as well.
“There is a workshop next door to us and the guy there discovered it first. You feel a bit devastated when that kind of thing happens to you. You never think it’s going to happen.
“One car is completely totaled, it was damaged in the police chase. That was annoying to say the least, but we’ll just have to take it on the chin.”
O’Donnell, an inmate at Polmont, and Ross (32), a prisoner at Perth, were found guilty by a unanimous verdict of breaking into South Road Car Company and GL Autos in South Road on November 22 or November 23.
The trial heard that the cars were seen being driven away from the dealership in the early hours of November 23. They were subsequently spotted entering a car park in Perth a few hours later.
The court heard that shortly afterwards, three men wearing masks had entered the TB Mitchell Jeweller’s in John Street.
The men later fled, and Ross was identified as one of the trio by staff members during the trial. The two stolen cars, which had a total value of £13,000, were recovered over the next two days in separate incidents.
Following the verdict, the court was told that O’Donnell had 10 previous convictions for motoring offences, including dangerous driving.It was revealed that Ross had at least 25 convictions for motoring offences.
Sheriff Richard Davidson told the pair: “This involved the theft of motor vehicles resulting in a series of acts of driving amongst the most dangerous character it has been my misfortune to witness.
“I expect the ladies and gentlemen of the jury must have been appalled to hear of them.”
Sentence was deferred until May 2.