Man careered through villages after drinking

Perthshire farm worker is jailed for dangerous driving

A farm worker caused other road users to take evasive action when he careered through several Perth shire village sand hamlets.

Gavin Ewart, who had been drinking, drove dangerously and at excessive speed, repeatedly colliding with roadside verges and pavements as he sped through Meig leon a series of country roads.

He eventually lost control of the Peugeot estate, left the road and ploughed into a wall, causing extensive damage.

He also suffered a catalogue of injuries and was hospitalised for more than a fortnight.

The 30-year-old, who has a long-standing alcohol problem following the death of his brother in a road crash, was jailed for six months at Perth Sheriff Court.

He was also banned for three years and will have to re-sit the extended driving test before he is allowed back behind the wheel.

Sheriff Lindsay Foul is told him : “It may be, as a result of languishing in a prison cell, you will come to your senses and take positive steps to address the issues which you have.

“At the moment, until you address these issues, you are a danger to other road users.”

The sheriff noted that he hadn’t been involved in just an “isolated incident” of dangerous driving.

“There were a number of episodes of dangerous driving occurring over a not insignificant distance travelled.

“I would hazard a guess that, in total, it was probably between 12-15 miles.”

Ewart, of West Jordanstone Farm Cottages, Alyth, admitted driving dangerously on the B954 Meigle-Muirhead road, the A923 Muir head-Dundee road and Muirhead-Coupar Angus roads, near Fowlis, on October 29, 2016.

Depute fiscal Clare Kennedy said the accused’s car was spotted at one point travelling at 4050mph before pulling into the path of another vehicle.

It later twice clipped the kerb as it travelled through Meigle at the same speed about 6pm on a Saturday.

“Further down the B954 it was seen to mount the pavement and nearly collide with two vehicles travelling in the opposite direction,” she added.

Police, who had been alerted, then spotted the car being driven “at excessive speed” on the A923.

There was“not race” of it, however, after it took a shallow, right-hand band.

From debris on the road it became clear he had lost control and the car had collided with a large, dry stone wall.

It came to rest partially on its side. When officers spoke to him they detected a “strong smell of alcohol.”

He was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was treated for a dislocated shoulder, four broken ribs, a broken clavicle and a fractured vertebrae.

Solicitor David Holmes said the accused hadn’t recovered from what he described as the “untimely passing” of his brother in 2012 and had problems with alcohol.

He had subsequently failed to attend court on an earlier occasion because he was intoxicated.

He needed “guidance and help” and would be able to carry out unpaid work as an alternative to prison.

Imposing the jail term, Sheriff Foulis noted the accused had two previous driving bans and had only got his licence back in September 2016.

Although there was no charge of drink/driving before him, the sheriff said it was “clear” Ewart had consumed alcohol and it was a factor he could take into account.

At the moment, until you address these issues, you are a danger to other road users