High-speed chase lands man in jail

Alyth resident found hiding in undergrowth

An Alyth man led police on a late night, high-speed chase through a maze of streets.

Thirty-three-year-old Murray Fotheringham ignored the blue flashing light of the pursuing police vehicle and careered through several traffic lights at more than double the speed limit.

His catalogue of dangerous driving continued as he overtook other vehicles without warning and raced over junctions without giving way.

The pursuit finally came to an end when he smashed into a parked car.

He then ran off but was later traced by officers, hiding among undergrowth in a garden.

Police detected a smell of alcohol from him and his speech was slurred.

Fotheringham, of Morrison Terrace, failed a breathalyser and later tests showed he had been behind the wheel with almost five times the legal alcohol level in his system.

His escapades, which also included making threats to police after he was arrested Blairgowrie’s Wellmeadow on a separate occasion, led to him being jailed for a total of 13 months at Perth Sheriff Court earlier this month.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told him: “That sort of behaviour is totally unacceptable.”

It might have been anticipated from someone aged 19 but not 33, he added.

He admitted driving at excessive speed through almost 10 Dundee streets on August 7 last year before losing control of his car in Inverary Terrace.

He had been driving with 100 microgrammes of alcohol on his breath. The legal limit is 22.

He also shouted, swore and struggled with police in Blairgowrie on June 4 this year and threatened them – and their families – with violence.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said the accused was spotted by police on uniformed patrol travelling “at speed” on a roundabout in Dundee shortly after 11.15pm.

They followed and illuminated their blue emergency light to indicate him to stop.

“PC Wood, who was driving, was struggling to catch up with the accused who was travelling in excess of 60mph.

“There were no other vehicles in between the accused and the police car and they were in no doubt he was aware of them and their attempts to stop him,” stated the fiscal.

In Lochee Road, Fotheringham sped past another vehicle without signalling and went through two traffic light-controlled junctions without reducing speed.

The incident in Blairgowrie took place at 12.45am, outside licensed premises.

He was seen by officers who knew he was wanted on a warrant.

They called for assistance from two colleagues before approaching him.

He was “initially compliant” when he was told he was under arrest but then started shouting and threatening officers when he was handcuffed.

His behaviour continued in the police vehicle - and at the charge bar at Perth Police Station.

“He was taken to a secure cell without the charge bar process being completed,” added Mr Kermode.

His “tirade of abuse” continued and he threatened officers with violence on his release.

Solicitor Billy Somerville said the accused had now been prescribed Antibuse for his alcohol problem.

“He clearly cannot function as a normal person and must stop drinking.”

Fotheringham’s jail term was backdated to June 6, when he was remanded.