Court / Court round-up 28 August

AN IMPATIENT 76-year old driver who bumped another man with his car has been fined and banned from the road at Lerwick Sheriff Court.

John Leask, from Nordavatn, Lerwick, admitted driving dangerously on the town’s Commercial Street on 4 September last year.

The court heard Leask was driving along the street at around 1.30pm when he became stuck behind a man out walking.

The complainer was facing away from oncoming traffic and has “little to no hearing” in one ear, while his hearing aid – in the other ear – had run out of battery.

That meant he was “completely unaware” of Leask, who was “impatient and angry” at being stuck behind the man.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said Leask had a “sense of entitlement as a driver” and was “shouting at the man to get out of the way”.

The complainer eventually became aware of a car horn being sounded and went to move to the side of the road.

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However Leask kept on driving at a low speed and drove into the complainer, causing him to stumble out of the way.

Leask “simply carried on driving” afterwards.

Defence agent Liam McAllister said Leask had a previously “unblemished record” of driving throughout his life before the incident.

He told the court Leask’s physical health had deteriorated since, and that his DVLA licence had been revoked as a result of that.

Leask believed he would “probably never drive again”, not matter the outcome of the case.

McAllister added that Leask admitted this was a dangerous case of driving, but the solicitor said it had been over a short distance and at low speed.

However Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said speed was not necessarily a factor when it came to whether driving was dangerous or not.

He fined Leask £845 and banned him from driving for 12 months. He will have to sit the extended test of competence to regain his licence.

A DRIVER caught without insurance just 26 minutes after his coverage expired has been fined.

Ryan Henry, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, was stopped by police in a routine check on 23 March this year and found to have no insurance or MOT.

The 46-year-old admitted the charges at Lerwick Sheriff Court today (Thursday).

Defence agent Tommy Allan said Henry’s insurance had expired less than 30 minutes before he was pulled over by the police at around 1am that morning.

Henry’s insurance had previously auto-renewed, he said, but had not done so on this occasion.

Henry had also failed to heed warnings from his insurance company that he would need coverage, he added.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined him £420 for driving without insurance, and endorsed his licence with six penalty points.

He was admonished and dismissed for driving without an MOT.