A disqualified Aberdeen driver was caught behind the wheel when he went for a drive in the country to celebrate lockdown restrictions being eased.
Scott Edwards, 32, a heavily tattooed man with a full beard, was clocked by police driving through Drumoak in Aberdeenshire.
He then swapped places in the vehicle with his partner and pretended she been driving, despite her having no resemblance to him.
Cops were not fooled by the stunt and charged him with attempting to pervert the course of justice on top of the driving charges on Sunday.
Fiscal depute Susan Love told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “At 2.40pm police were on duty within a marked police vehicle by the A93 in Drumoak.
“At this time police observed a silver Vauxhall Corsa passing by travelling west.
“Police saw there was a male driving the vehicle and were able to observe there was a female in the passenger side.
“A police check was carried out which showed there was no insurance in place for that vehicle.
“Police saw the vehicle turn left on an unclassified road heading towards Dee Valley Caravans.
“The vehicle was temporarily lost to view and came to a stop before police had visual again.”
Ms Love said when officers approached the vehicle they “saw the accused was now within the passenger seat” and the female was sitting in the drivers seat.
She added: “A check of the accused’s DVLA record showed he was disqualified until July 16, 2024.
“As he is disqualified therefore there would be no valid insurance.”
Edwards then intimated to officers that he had not been driving, but was arrested and taken to Kittybrewster police station.
He admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance, as well as attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Defence solicitor Mike Monro said: “It’s an understatement to say it’s the most stupid of behaviour.
“The accused lives with his partner.
“The car of the family, which is only driven by my client’s partner, is in for repair.
“They got a courtesy car and that was being driven by his partner.
“There had been a partial release of lockdown restrictions and we all know what the weather has been like in the north-east of late.
“My client’s partner and my client decided they would drive out into the country just to get some fresh air and make the best of the weather.
“As they were driving along the A93 my client’s partner was having difficulty trying to find the correct turn off.
“Words were exchanged in the car which culminated in the accused being invited to drive.
“This resulted in the accused taking over the wheel and driving through to Drumoak and unluckily for the accused there was a marked police vehicle on static duty.
“Police saw the accused in the car and the accused saw the police in their car.
“The accused then turned in to Dee Valley Caravans with the intention of, quite frankly, swapping over.
“You might not think there would be any difficulty in the police recognising who was driving, my client with his beard and tattoos and his partner who does not bear any resemblance to him.
“The idiocy can’t be over-exaggerated.”
Sheriff Robert McDonald deferred sentence on Edwards, whose address was given in court papers as Middle Bodachra, Dyce, until July for reports.
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