A speeding Aberdeen student will now be forced to take the bus after police caught him driving his dad’s electric car at more than 110mph.
Thomas Ralston, 20, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted hitting breakneck speeds on the A90 AWPR.
Police officers were already following a van when Ralston, a design student, tore past them in his dad’s black Polestar.
Accused was tailgating police car
Fiscal depute Claire Stewart told the court that at around 10am on September 16 last year, police were on patrol in an unmarked police vehicle and were following a van that was doing 90mph on the A90.
While they were following the van, Ralston’s vehicle moved into the lane directly behind the police vehicle.
The electric car was tailgating the unmarked car before accelerating to a speed of 90mph.
Ralston’s car then accelerated past the police vehicle at a speed of between 110 – 114mph, the fiscal depute said.
Ms Stewart added that it drove at this speed for a short distance, which she said had been estimated to be around 1.2 miles.
In the dock, Ralston pleaded guilty to one count of driving dangerously and at excessive speed and failing to maintain a safe distance from other road users.
‘Hard lesson’ for student
Defence solicitor Ross Taggart told the court that his client was currently a third-year student and had been 19 at the time of this offence.
“It was his father’s car and, as it’s an electric vehicle, its acceleration is extreme,” the solicitor said.
“When he saw the open road in front of him, he unfortunately put his foot down, which he deeply regrets.
“Mr Ralston has learned a hard lesson here.
“As a result of any disqualification, he will now have to get two buses to get to university.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston told Ralston that “driving in that manner and at those speeds has real potential to cause harm to others”.
She added: “You could have been in an accident and that could have caused harm to yourself never mind others on the road.”
Sheriff Johnston fined Ralston, of Balmedie, £640 and banned him from driving for one year.
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