A road menace who is already serving a driving ban managed to rack up not one but two dangerous driving charges in the space of five days.
Michael Thomson was already serving a disqualification after being caught driving without insurance more than a half-a-dozen times when his erratic driving caught the attention of police.
The 21-year-old, of Banchory, already boasted an “appalling record” when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to admit five road traffic offences, including two dangerous driving charges.
Fiscal depute Tom Procter told the court Thomson narrowly avoided a head-on collision with another car on the A980 Raemoir-to-Banchory road, at its junction with Clunycrighton, on February 27.
Almost caused head-on crash
“At around 4.53pm another road user saw him approaching his vehicle from behind at excessive speed, catching up with him over a long distance but in a very short period of time.
“He then overtook him at speed and almost collided head-on with a vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
“That driver had to take evasive action and brake heavily to avoid colliding with the accused.”
Thomson’s dodgy and dangerous overtake was caught on that car’s dashboard camera with the footage showing him to swerve back into the correct carriageway before speeding off.
Just five days later Thomson caught the attention of police officers as he sped through Banchory town centre at speeds of up to 60mph.
Sped through town at 60mph
Officers were tipped off that Thomson was once again behind the wheel without licence and insurance, on Station Road and Arbeadie Road, at around 9.20pm on March 4.
“Officers observed his car pass them,” the fiscal said. “They turned and followed the car and saw it accelerate harshly up to 60mph and swerving between parked cars while being driven on both sides of the road.
“He failed to stop at a stop sign, accelerated to 70mph and overtook another car.”
Thomson was later traced. Police checks showed he was disqualified and driving without insurance.
‘He is not a naive young man’
Thomson’s defence agent Iain Hingston admitted there was no doubt the driving had been “appalling”, but argued he had “matured” in months since.
“When I first started dealing with him he was in his late teens and had an attitude of bucking authority and really not caring for the system or anyone in it,” he said.
“Neither did he care how his actions might affect others.”
But he said Thomson now has a baby on the way and is hoping to begin work as a security steward next year.
“He is not a naive young man and he knows where he stands,” Mr Hingston added.
“However, the background report offers any number of disposals as an alternative to custody today.”
He’s an ‘obvious danger to the public’
Sheriff Ian Miller, however, was less than convinced by the assurances that Thomson was a new man, stating that the 21-year-old’s driving record contained “rather disturbing endorsement details” and saying his criminal record was “road traffic after road traffic after road traffic”.
However, decided to spare Thomson jail.
He said: “On the first offence you say you were driving because you had an argument with your mum and you lost your temper, but that is no justification or reason to drive where you did, in the way you did or when you did.
“It shows unreasonable immaturity on your part, so too does your attempts to blame your mother for your actions.”
He said he had no doubt Thomson posed an “obvious danger to the public” and that although sending him to prison would be “justified and supportable” he thought that would be the “easy option”.
Thomson was told an alternative disposal that would “really test your resolve over many months” would be more appropriate.
Spared jail, but only just
Sheriff Miller ordered he pay £500, carry out 110 hours of unpaid work, be under supervision of social workers for two years and adhere to a seven-month curfew.
He also banned Thomson from the road for a further 42 months.
Thomson, of Lawson Crescent, Banchory, pled guilty to two charges of dangerous driving, two further charges of driving without insurance and one charge of driving without a licence.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen, as well as the latest crime and breaking incidents, join our new Facebook group HERE.
