Four men who drove £600,000 worth of high-performance sports cars into the Highlands then got caught speeding at almost 100mph have been banned from driving.
The motorists were also fined a total £4,400 by Sheriff Gary Aitken, who warned the drivers they were fortunate he couldn’t forfeit their expensive vehicles, which included a McLaren 675LT and Lamborghini Huracan.
They all admitted a lesser charge of driving carelessly at 95mph on a one-and-a-half mile stretch of the 60mph A890 near Glencarron on April 27 2019.
The original charge accused them of dangerously driving at over 120mph, which would have entitled the sheriff to seize the cars.
Dundee company director, Walter Milne, 57, was behind the wheel of the £300,000 McLaren 675LT while 49-year-old brother Callum drove a £100,000 Porsche 911 GTS.
Joining them on the high-speed journey was Carnoustie car dealership boss Steven Brown, 38, in a £164,000 Lamborghini and 25-year-old engineer Finlay Coghill, of Meadow Croft, Kinmuck, Inverurie, in a £40,000 BMW M240i.
Brown – who owns Augustus Autos – was banned from driving for six weeks and fined £1,400 as he had a previous road traffic conviction committed just two months before this offence.
The other three were each fined £1,000 and disqualified for four weeks.
Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told Inverness Sheriff Court that police were carrying out speed checks on the road about noon when the foursome sped by.
She added that the weather was dry and good with light traffic.
Walter Milne, of Rosemill Road, Bridgefoot, owns Metaltech, which was involved in the construction of Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool as well as Dundee’s £32m pool complex.
His solicitor Ian Sievwright told the court: “The vehicle, which he still has, had braking facilities beyond the normal car.”
The lawyer added that the company was “struggling financially” due to the pandemic.
Sheriff Aitken commented: “These are braking facilities for driving on tracks. He still has the car, so his financial difficulties can’t be that bad.”
Callum Milne, of Baldovan, Strathmartine, Dundee, was not present today as he has tested positive for Covid, but was represented by solicitor Rory Gowans.
Mr Gowan said: “He has changed his manner of driving and no longer has the Porsche. He now has a Land Rover.”
Steven Farmer, solicitor for Brown, of Main Street, Barry, Carnoustie, said: “The car was sold almost immediately after this offence and there has been no further offending since.”
In July 2020 Brown posted a video on YouTube showing off the Lamborghini Huracan’s launch control.
Coghill’s agent, Ronnie Simpson told the sheriff: “He is a first offender and he was at the back of the group.”
Sheriff Aitken asked him: “Was he just some young idiot thinking he can keep up with them?”
Mr Simpson replied: “No, he is certainly not. He has an engineering degree and knows them. He has changed his vehicle to a Ford Fiesta. This was a one-off incident.”
Sentencing the drivers, Sheriff Aitken said: “You were all half again as much as the speed limit.
“It shows a total disregard for other road users. If you had still been on the original charge, I would have been entitled to forfeit your vehicles.
“You are extremely lucky that this charge was accepted by the Crown.”
