A former soldier who crashed into a bridge at a set of road works has been disqualified for five months.
Louis Noble admitted he had been driving carelessly on the A83 Fort William to Inverness road when the accident happened near Spean Bridge on March 17, last year.
Fort William Sheriff Court heard the 39-year-old went through a red light and clipped a bridge, prompting those working on the stretch of road to flee.
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Procurator fiscal Alison Young told the court: “At about 8.45pm in the evening, workers were behind a coned area with a set of traffic lights moderating the flow of traffic.
“Workers noted the light was red, but the accused drove through at an excessive speed, and clipped the bridge they were working on.
“The workers had to move out of the way. They were inside the set of cones to mark out the area – but they had to move out of the way of the car.
“The accused was later found by police officers near Urquhart Castle. He said he had nearly hit a deer and that is why he had stopped.”
Defence agent Clare Russell said Noble, of The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, was a former signaller and paramedic in the forces who had been medically discharged.
She said: “He has no recollection of this event, but he is willing to take full responsibility.
“He had a head injury sustained later in the same day when he was avoiding the deer on the road.
“He appreciates this is at the upper end of careless driving, and he takes full responsibility for it.
“It has been a turbulent time for Mr Noble, his partner passed away unexpectedly and his life has been in turmoil since.
“He is currently unemployed but he has previously been an HGV driver, and the fact is he may need his licence to take up that type of employment again.”
Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald said: “I am disqualifying you for five months and I am fining you £320, this is at the lower level due to your financial situation.”