A thief has been locked up after stealing his dying grandad’s car, fleeing from police and then crashing it into a ditch.
Thomas MacDonald raked through his bedbound grandfather’s dresser at his assisted living accommodation in Rothienorman and took his car keys as he lay just yards away.
The 29-year-old, who was also disqualified at the time, drove the car to Aberdeen where he fled from police and crashed.
MacDonald also went on to steal another car before eventually being found slumped over the wheel on drugs.
Fiscal depute Rebecca Thompson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court MacDonald’s grandad, who has since passed away, did not initially notice the theft on January 24 2021.
It wasn’t until days later, when the warden of the assisted living complex pointed out the car had gone, that the matter was reported.
Around 1.30pm on the day of the theft, police spotted the vehicle, which had not yet been reported stolen, driving south on Tillydrone Avenue towards St Machar Drive.
Officers had reason to stop the car and activated their lights and siren.
Ms Thompson said: “However, the accused did not react.
“The police changed the tone of the siren, resulting in the accused immediately accelerating the vehicle harshly and making off at speed towards St Machar roundabout.
‘Struggled to understand and comply with basic instructions’
“The accused’s vehicle narrowly missed one vehicle while overtaking, forcing it to pull over to the side of the road to avoid a collision.
“The accused failed to stop at a red light on King Street, with the junction with Regent Walk, Aberdeen.
“The police constables did not pursue the accused, deactivated all emergency sirens
and ceased following the vehicle.
“The vehicle was lost to view turning into Orchard Street.”
At the time, MacDonald was disqualified from driving and uninsured.
The car was later recovered having “rolled into a ditch on the B9001 Rothienorman to Inverurie road”.
In a separate incident on November 12 2022, MacDonald stole a woman’s Nissan Qashqai on Hazledene Road outside Hazlehead Park while she was out for a walk.
The car was later spotted at a Tesco petrol station in Westhill and an employee, after seeing a post on social media about the vehicle, contacted police.
MacDonald was still disqualified and uninsured at the time.
At 6pm on the same day, a witness saw MacDonald “slumped over the steering wheel” of the car, which had its engine running, in a Co-op car park in Kintore.
Police attended and removed the key from the ignition.
‘Shame and embarrassment’
Ms Thompson said: “The accused woke up shortly after. His speech was slurred, his pupils dilated and he was unsteady on his feet.
“He struggled to understand and comply with basic instructions and appeared clearly impaired.”
MacDonald did not smell of alcohol but refused to comply with a drug test.
He was swiftly arrested and, while in the back of a police van, began acting “aggressively”.
He warned officers: “When I get out of this van I’m going to f***ing kill you.”
While being booked into custody, MacDonald spat in a female officer’s face and “violently lashed out” when attempts were made to apply a spit hood, kicking one officer to the leg.
MacDonald, of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to a dozen charges, including two of theft of a vehicle, two of driving while disqualified, two of driving without insurance and one of dangerous driving.
He also admitted failing to comply with a drug test, driving while unfit through drink or drugs, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and two charges of assault.
‘That will cause him some distress for some time to come’
Defence agent Iain Hingston said: “His record is consistent with someone who has a long-term problem with motor vehicles.
“For a long, long time, he was an extremely immature young man, and then man, mentally.
“Mr MacDonald has had problems for as long as I’ve known him.
“He was, for many years, in the care of his grandparents who were the true focus of his very existence.
“The passing of his grandfather in particular has been an extremely difficult period for him.
“What he’s now recognising and understanding is, really, he’s running out of people who are willing to support and assist him.”
Mr Hingston said his client was now “strongly focused” on an “offence-free” future.
He added MacDonald felt “shame and embarrassment” over the offences, particularly stealing his granddad’s car.
The solicitor said: “I think that will cause him some distress for some time to come.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace ordered MacDonald to be jailed for six months in relation to an unexpired portion of a previous sentence, and imposed a further 28 months in relation to the new offences.
He also banned him from driving for seven years and eight months.
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