News / Teen admits dangerous driving after police chase
A SEVENTEEN year old with only a provisional licence was “lucky not be seriously injured or killed” after driving at speeds in “excess of 100mph” during a police chase earlier this year.
Thomas Day, of 9 Nordavatn, Lerwick, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving dangerously between Blackhill in the town and Sundibanks, Scalloway on 7 March.
Lerwick Sheriff Court heard on Thursday that Day also admitted driving the car without a qualified passenger or L plates and whilst uninsured.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that the incident took place at around a quarter to one in the morning at a time of “very high winds”.
Police came across Day driving in the opposite direction at high speeds in the outskirts of Lerwick before chasing after him.
He turned off the main road towards Scalloway and appeared to be travelling at speeds of “over 100mph”, with the police turning on their blue lights and siren.
Day, who had extinguished his headlights, later travelled up a single track road at Sundibanks in Scalloway before losing control and entering a ditch.
He shouted at the police, but the winds meant his words were “indistinguishable”.
Sheriff Philip Mann said that there “could have been very serious consequences” for the teenager and others, and whilst “panic” was involved, there was also a sense of “deliberateness”.
He adjourned the case until 8 July for a criminal justice social enquiry report to be prepared. He was disqualified in the interim.
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