A man led police on a dangerous high-speed chase in a Mini with an unsecured child in the vehicle.
Andrew Duncan, who was disqualified from driving at the time, sped off when he noticed a police car following him.
The 32-year-old raced through busy residential streets in Aberdeen, narrowly avoiding a collision and even tackling a roundabout in the wrong direction.
Duncan’s driving was described as “extremely dangerous”, to the extent that officers were forced to call off the chase over fears for public safety.
Fiscal depute Ann Mann told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident began around noon on January 6.
‘Seriously considering a custodial sentence’
Officers spotted Duncan behind the wheel of a Mini on the A96 Auchmill Road at the Haudagain Bypass and, aware he was disqualified, began to follow him.
But when Duncan “accelerated harshly” a pursuit was declared.
Duncan continued at speed and turned onto Manor Avenue in Northfield, narrowly avoiding a collision with another vehicle, which had to swerve out of the way.
The court heard Duncan reached speeds of 60-70mph as he overtook numerous vehicles and negotiated the junctions onto Provost Rust Drive and Granitehill Road.
‘It’s really just lucky for you this wasn’t much, much more serious’
Duncan also overtook a bus as he turned onto Granitehill Road and again accelerated harshly.
He then sped up to a mini roundabout which he navigated in the wrong direction at “grossly excessive speed” onto Quarry Road.
Due to the “extremely dangerous” manner of his driving and the area being busy with pedestrians and traffic, the police chose to abandon the chase on safety grounds.
Duncan, of Barra View, Oldmeldrum, pled guilty to dangerous driving “with an unknown child unsecure within the front passenger seat”, driving while disqualified and without insurance.
He also pled guilty to driving a motorcycle while disqualified on October 10 2023.
Defence agent Liam Mcallister said: “Mr Duncan recognises he rightly deserves to be punished for his disastrous and appalling decision-making and misjudgement at a time in children’s lives when they need him most.
“There seems to have been a recognition this is the end of the line.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Duncan: “This was a very serious incident indeed.
“I think it’s really just lucky for you this wasn’t much, much more serious and that nobody was injured as a result of your driving.
“Given your record, I was seriously considering a custodial sentence.
“I have been persuaded not to do that, primarily because of the impact it would have on your family.”
Sheriff Johnston handed Duncan 195 hours of unpaid work, 12 months’ supervision and an 18-month driving ban.
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