A Highland fraudster who lied to a car seller that he had paid £1,800 into his bank account drove off with his new motor and then promptly crashed it on the A9.
Alexander Burke told the man the payment might take “a few hours to complete” and was allowed to take the vehicle anyway.
That proved to be a costly mistake for the trusting seller because the money never arrived and Burke flipped the Jeep Cherokee on the A9 south of Tain soon afterwards.
Burke, 29, appeared at Tain Sheriff Court today for sentencing in relation to the crimes – which included dangerous driving, drink-driving and driving without insurance.
Fiscal depute Adelle Gray explained the circumstances of the charges, which all took place on July 11 last year.
Jeep went ‘rolling through the air’
Ms Gray said Burke’s fraud victim had advertised his Jeep Cherokee for sale on Facebook and had been contacted by Burke.
She told Sheriff Robert McDonald: “The witness has met the accused for a test drive of the vehicle and the pair had agreed a sale price of £1,800, paid by bank transfer.”
The seller provided Burke with his bank details.
Burke then told him that “he had made the transfer, but it often took a few hours to complete”.
“The witness has accepted this and the accused took the Jeep away,” Ms Gray said.
Soon after road users on the A9 between Nigg and Tain spotted the car “rolling through the air”.
It rolled “three or four times” before hitting a tree and coming to a stop on the grass verge.
Failed roadside breath test
Bystanders approached the vehicle and saw Burke lying in the rear of the vehicle.
Police and paramedics were called.
Burke, who had suffered minor head injuries, failed a roadside breath test and was taken to Raigmore Hospital where a blood test revealed his alcohol level to be 52 milligrams per 100 millilitres – the legal limit being 50 milligrams.
A few days later, the owner of the vehicle alerted police after failing to receive payment for the Jeep.
Solicitor David Patterson said his client’s mental health had suffered after losing his job as a gardener during the Covid pandemic.
He said Burke had been self-medicating with drugs and alcohol and had been “in a very poor state”.
‘Poor decision making’
He said: “Consumption of alcohol and drugs led to poor decision making – that includes the one he appears for at court today.”
Mr Patterson said his client recognised this was “inexcusable behaviour” and said it was “something he regrets”.
“He is remorseful, he understands the error of his ways and he does apologise,” Mr Patterson told the sheriff.
Sheriff McDonald told Burke: “You were in very serious danger of going to jail in respect of these matters.”
He instead placed Burke, of Burgage Drive, Tain, on a community payback order with two years supervision and requirements that he take part in a road traffic programme. He most also pay £1,800 compensation to the owner of the vehicle.
Burke was banned from the roads for two years and will have to sit and pass the extended test before regaining his licence.