A north-east man veered a transit van into the opposing carriageway repeatedly and turned off his lights as he tried to evade police during a chase on dark country roads.
Bruce Jessiman was spotted driving in a suspicious manner by officers on mobile patrol near Oldmeldrum at 3.15am on Saturday, August 4.
The 20-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday, where a sheriff told him his actions represented a “significant example of dangerous driving”.
Fiscal depute Jade Wong said: “When police took after the accused, they saw him driving south along the A947 from Oldmeldrum, swerving into the opposing carriageway as he left the village.
“They noticed his lights disappear at the junction where the A920 meets the A947, and only later spotted its lights reactivated as it headed south on the A947.
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“He failed to stop and straddled both carriageways repeatedly, ignoring signs saying to reduce his speed as he rounded bends.
“His lights again deactivated before the vehicle came to a halt outside a property in Hattoncrook.”
The accused later told police he didn’t stop because he had been drinking “and panicked”, but tests later proved he was within the legal alcohol limit.
Jessiman, of Bylands Croft in St Fergus, admitted a charge of driving dangerously by driving his van at excessive speed and without lights when it was dark, while being pursued by police.
Defence lawyer, Robert Sutherland, claimed that his client’s lights were faulty but said he accepted his wrongdoing.
Sheriff Andrew Miller said: “I regard this as a very significant example of dangerous driving, anyone who has driven on a rural road at night knows how important it is to be able to see the lights of oncoming vehicles.
“This caused significant risk of injury to yourself and anyone else who may have been using the road.”
Jessiman was disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work.