A young driver who hit speeds of 100mph on the Aberdeen bypass has held on to his licence but could still lose his job as a lorry driver.
Calum Robertson, an HGV driver for a national bakery chain, was caught driving his car at 100mph on the A90 Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, well in excess of the 70mph speed limit.
The 24-year-old admitted a charge of careless driving, reduced from an earlier one of driving dangerously, near the A93 Peterculter bypass junction on March 29 this year.
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that Robertson drove his red Volkswagen at “excessive speeds”.
Job delivering baked goods under threat
Robertson, of Portlethen, works as a lorry driver for a national bakery chain and already has three points on his licence for speeding.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that the young man would most likely lose his job if he got more than six penalty points added to his licence.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said Robertson had learned a “salutary lesson”.
“This offence took place on the Aberdeen bypass and there was very little traffic on the road,” he added. “He was driving his own car from Westhill home to his parent’s house via the bypass.
“Unfortunately over a short period he accelerated to the speed libelled.
“He can give no proper explanation as to why, foolishly, he let that happen and today he will bear the consequences of that.
“It remains to be seen whether the traffic commissioner will order further proceedings given his employment as a HGV driver.
“He will lose his employment if he is banned from the road.
“I understand that if he accrues more than six points today he will lose his ability to work.
“He has learnt a salutary lesson and has been very anxious about this.”
‘Fast approaching’ ban-worthy speeds
Sheriff Philip Mann asked the court to “excuse the pun” when he told Robertson that the speeds involved meant he was “fast approaching the stage where even on a speeding charge you might be disqualified.”
“However, I have got no desire to cause you to lose your HGV licence,” he added.
“Whether someone else causes you to lose that, be it through an investigation by the traffic commissioner, then that is up to them.”
He fined Robertson, of Devenick Drive, Portlethen, £520 and added six points to his driving licence.
“You now have nine points on your licence,” the sheriff warned. “If you fall foul of the traffic regulations again that will almost certainly take you up to 12 and result in you losing your licence for a minimum of six months.”
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