News / Fine and penalty points after man admits driving carelessly
A DRIVER’s poor cornering in a lorry on an unfamiliar road in Shetland has landed him with a fine and eight penalty points.
Stuart Barton, of Hartford Caravan Site, Bedlington, admitted at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Tuesday to driving without due care or attention on the A968 near to the Firth and Mossbank junction on 6 October last year.
The incident saw the 42-year old-encroach into the opposing carriageway in the face of an oncoming vehicle, which was required to take evasive action to avoid a collision.
Barton, who did not appear in person as he now lives in Australia, also pleaded guilty to driving with no insurance and failing to give information to police on the same day.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the driving charge was the result of Barton – who was in Shetland to work – travelling on an unfamiliar road and failing to negotiate a bend at an appropriate speed.
The police were alerted and officers on patrol travelling north came across Barton in a lay-by, but when they spoke to him he “tried to be clever” and gave them a variation of his name.
“That did not fool the police,” Mackenzie said, adding that officers were able to retrieve his proper name on their systems while still at the roadside.
Defence agent Kate Phillips said Barton not giving his correct name to police was a moment of “stupidity”, while she said her client was “tired” at the time of the driving offence.
With Barton now living and working in Australia, Phillips encouraged Sheriff Ian Cruickshank to let him keep his licence.
While he remarked that Barton’s record showed it was not the first time he had driven without valid insurance, the sheriff issued fines totalling £840.
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