A masked drug courier ended up pepper sprayed and sitting in a burn after leading police on a 100mph car chase and a foot race over farmland.
Scott Findlay also reversed towards an officer at speed, forcing him to jump out of the way before accelerating off.
But the determined officers did not give up and pursued the 30-year-old across Aberdeen in their vehicle and, after he crashed, chased him on foot across several fields.
When they finally caught up with him, officers deployed their PAVA irritant spray, resulting in Findlay falling into a small burn where he frantically tried to dispose of drugs in the water.
Fiscal depute David Ballock told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened on July 19.
He said officers trying to trace a vehicle, a black Citroen C4 Cactus, spotted it parked on Sandilands Drive in Aberdeen at 9.50am.
Officers topped 100mph in a bid to catch up
Mr Ballock said: “Initially, they could not see anyone in the vehicle.
“An officer got out of the police vehicle and examined the number plate.
“While doing so, the vehicle suddenly reversed causing the officer to take evasive action.
“The vehicle then accelerated harshly before driving off at an excessive speed for the road layout and conditions.”
The car was lost to view, but around 25 minutes later it was seen again driving west on the B9119 Skene Road.
Officers activated their blue lights, indicating for the vehicle to stop, but Findlay “ignored” them and accelerated harshly.
Findlay then crossed onto the wrong side of the road passing a pedestrian island and overtaking two other vehicles.
A pursuit was declared but Findlay sped off at over the 60mph limit.
Officers topped 100mph in a bid to catch up but “hardly made any ground”.
Findlay turned right onto the C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road, Kingswells.
At the roundabout junction for the AWPR, Findlay “narrowly” avoided a collision with another vehicle while performing an overtake.
Entering the national speed limit section, Findlay braked suddenly while tackling a left-hand bend, causing the car to oversteer and cross onto the wrong side of the road.
Foot chase through several fields
Mr Ballock said: “This caused the vehicle to lose stability, rotate anticlockwise and skid sideways across the opposing carriageway before striking and mounting the offside verge and a stone dyke.
“It came to a rest on the opposing carriageway.
“Had another vehicle been travelling in the other direction the result could have been disastrous.”
Findlay leapt from the stricken vehicle, discarded a balaclava and began to make off on foot.
He was chased through “several fields” by officers who continually shouted for him to stop.
Near the yard of Holmhead Farm, Findlay turned round and an officer managed to discharge PAVA spray into his face.
Findlay then fell into a small burn and “immediately began emptying his pockets, throwing various packages into the burn”.
Officers also jumped into the water and grabbed Findlay, who tried to struggle and stand up.
Seized cash was ‘from the sale of dogs he sold on Twitter’, not drugs
Eventually, officers managed to handcuff him and were able to recover items he had thrown into the water, including £1,950 in cash and cannabis resin weighing a total of 67.48g.
Findlay, of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to a total of eight charges including dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance.
He further admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis resin, failing to stop for police, resisting arrest, attempting to pervert the course of justice and breaching a bail curfew.
Defence agent Chris Maitland admitted his client had a “significant record” for similar offences, adding: “There’s little that can be said about the offences really.”
Regarding the drug charge, Mr Maitland said: “He says he got himself into debt with the people he bought drugs from and he was delivering the cannabis from A to B.
“He was being paid by essentially not having that debt anymore.”
However, the solicitor said the money Findlay had, £1,950, was in fact “from the sale of dogs he sold on Twitter” and not related to drugs.
Sheriff Andrew Miller jailed Findlay for 18 months and banned him from driving for four years and eight months.
Due to the dispute over the money seized, the sheriff did not grant forfeiture of the cash.
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