An offshore worker who hit almost 100mph in his BMW while being tailed by an unmarked police car claims the officers provoked him.
Kieran Forbes pulled onto the A90 Dundee to Stonehaven road right in front of the officers and was soon hitting speeds of 96mph.
The 25-year-old maintained that speed for more than a mile, only slowing down briefly for speed cameras.
Forbes stopped when signalled to do so by the police officers but claimed there was a degree of provocation in that the unmarked car had been closely following him for miles.
‘Trying to get away from this car and put some distance between them’
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident began around 11.20am on May 7 last year when Forbes’ BMW 320d exited a slip road directly in front of the police and then accelerated to 96mph.
The court heard Forbes continued at that speed for 1.2 miles, before maintaining a speed of between 80 and 90mph for a further three miles.
Ms Martin said: “The car reached a static speed camera where it slowed to 70mph and then accelerated back to 90mph.”
For the next 4.5 miles Forbes maintained a speed of between 80 and 90mph, slowing only for another speed camera.
On entering an area of roadworks with a clearly marked speed limit of 50mph, Forbes did not slow down.
He also entered a 40mph zone at 60mph before slowing down for a speed camera.
Police officers in an unmarked car had followed Forbes throughout the journey – from the Spurryhillock junction to South Anderson Drive in Aberdeen – and eventually signalled for him to stop.
‘If his driving was so concerning, why wasn’t he pulled over sooner?’
Forbes, of Mearns Drive, Stonehaven, pled guilty to a charge of careless driving.
Defence agent Michael Burnett said: “Part of the difficulty here is when he became aware of the vehicle very close to him following him.
“The more this went on, he thought it would be a case of trying to get away from this car and put some distance between them.
“It begs the question, if his driving was so concerning, why wasn’t he pulled over sooner?
“There’s a small element of provocation.”
Mr Burnett said his client, who works in the offshore industry, stopped immediately when signalled.
He added Forbes requires his licence in caring for his elderly grandmother, taking her shopping and for medical appointments.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge warned Forbes: “Just because you’re a young man with a powerful car, doesn’t mean you can drive at speed with impunity.”
She fined him £420 and handed him six penalty points.
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