A yob who led police on a 100mph police chase has been warned he’s on his “final chance” after failing to cooperate with a supervision order.
Scot Murray was also under the influence of a drug when he spotted police on the B993 Inverurie to Kemnay road.
Unsure whether or not he was insured to drive the car, which belonged to a friend, Murray sped off, hitting 100mph before police had to abandon the pursuit on safety grounds.
The 25-year-old previously pled guilty over the incident and was given a supervision order, but has now been dragged over the coals after not taking the order seriously.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly was forced to concede: “It’s quite a shocking report and shows very little engagement.
‘Each time they push the court’s patience they get a bit closer’
“It appears he’s blaming everyone – and from having his phone switched off, to oversleeping.”
Sheriff Gerard Sinclair, addressing Murray, said: “Do you not want to do this order?”
He replied: “Of course I do.”
Murray began to offer excuses but the sheriff interjected: “That’s not good enough. That’s not going to cut it with me.”
The case adjourned briefly for the sheriff to fully read the progress report and, when it recalled, Mr Kelly said: “I’ve had a soul-searching conversation with Mr Murray.
“He did work with his father, who has a tyre-fitting business, but lost that job as a result of losing his licence.”
Mr Kelly went on: “He’s got off to a very rocky start, but if m’lord will afford him one final opportunity, he tells me this will be his priority.
“If he doesn’t do it, he’s going straight to jail.”
‘Maybe now is the time to convert this into a custodial sentence’
Sheriff Sinclair told Murray: “We’ve seen characters come through this court for years, people who commit an offence and the court bends over backwards to give them an opportunity to turn their life around.
“They do a bit of it and don’t do a bit of it and they don’t get the jail.
“Each time they push the court’s patience they get a bit closer.”
He warned Murray, of Forvie Gardens, Main Street, Newburgh, that once his first prison sentence was imposed, it could become a “spiral” and he would be less likely to get community orders in future.
Referring to the progress report, he said: “When I read this this morning, I thought today was your day and that that was it – maybe now is the time to convert this into a custodial sentence of several months.
“Were I to do that, other sheriffs would look at that and think ‘maybe this is what we have to do with Mr Murray’.”
‘Take it from me, this will be the final chance’
He went on: “I’m not telling you anything I’m sure Mr Kelly hasn’t already told you.
“It strikes me that all you’re doing is you’re not listening to him.
“I’m going to give you one final chance, and take it from me, this will be the final chance.
“If you do not complete this order, I will be leaving a note in the papers that my view is that you should be given a custodial sentence.
“I’m expecting to read a report which says every time the social worker said ‘jump’, the only thing you said was ‘how high?’.
“Do you understand that?”
Murray replied meekly: “Yes, sir.”
The case was continued for a further review next month.
Murray previously pled guilty to dangerous driving while under the influence of a drug.
He also admitted failing to give police information as to the identity of the driver and breaching a bail curfew.
He was fined £420, banned from driving for a year and given an 18-month supervision order.
The court heard details of the offences themselves, which happened around 2.30pm on May 7, at an earlier hearing.
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