A banned drink-driver who tried to make a cross-country dash from England to Portsoy led police on a 20-mile chase going up to 105mph.
Police interceptors were previously alerted that John Johnson was driving to his partner’s Aberdeenshire home.
Officers parked alongside the A90 – close to Forfar – spotted him and began to follow his vehicle.
However, they had to pursue the 23-year-old for more than 20 miles as he drove dangerously, at speed, and while being over the legal limit for alcohol.
Johnson even tried to escape down a gravel farm track “in a cloud of dust” but the police officers found his car as the repeat offender fled through a potato field.
‘Lost in a cloud of dust’
At Forfar Sheriff Court, he was jailed for six months.
Fiscal depute Jill Drummond said: “Police intelligence checks carried out revealed the accused had travelled from England to Scotland on the morning on June 29.
“Various static patrols were put in place.
“At 11.26am, officers were static in a police vehicle at the Phillip garage on the A90, when the accused’s vehicle went past at speed.”
Johnson gesticulated out the window at police and accelerated to 90mph.
Blue lights and sirens were activated but Johnson increased his speed, reaching 105mph.
He drove dangerously close behind HGVs and, after 20 miles, crossed the southbound carriageway onto the C37 towards Hillside, on which he reached over 80mph.
The police pursuit was abandoned after he was seen driving on the wrong side of the road approaching blind bends.
Ms Drummond explained Johnson was “lost in a cloud of dust” as he drove down a gravel track at Braehead Farm.
The police found the car abandoned in a potato field with the key still in the ignition and saw Johnson running across planted fields.
They apprehended him and he later failed a breathalyser test, telling officers: “I’m very sorry.”
‘It’s a horrendous piece of driving’
Father-of-two Johnson, who had addresses listed in court papers in both Portsoy and Bedford, England, was brought to the dock from HMP Perth.
He is currently serving a sentence at HMP Five Wells in Northamptonshire after being recalled to prison in connection with a 12-month sentence imposed in London in January for similar offending, with an expected release date of December 3.
Defence solicitor Keith Sym said: “He is disqualified for a significant period of time. It’s a horrendous piece of driving.
“He was in a brief relationship with a lady who lived in Banffshire, in Portsoy. The likelihood is if this man doesn’t change his ways, he won’t have a licence at any point in his future.”
During earlier proceedings, Johnson admitted driving dangerously on the A90 and C37 on June 29 this year, with 53mcg of alcohol detected in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is just 22mcg.
Sheriff Clair McLachlan jailed him for six months and banned Johnson from getting behind the wheel for five years, after which he must pass an extended driving test.
“There is no alternative but a custodial sentence, given your record and given this is the second identical offence in the space of a year,” the sheriff added.
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