Cyclist killed in crash

A CYCLIST was killed in a New Year’s Day crash in the Highlands.

Police said the crash, involving a car, was on a straight section of the A862 at Meikle Phoineas by Kirkhill, near Beauly.

The 47 year-old cyclist, who was from the Kiltarlity area, died at the scene.

No details have been released about the car driver but it is thought they escaped injury.

Police thanked motorists for their patience while the road was closed for about six hours after the 7.20pm accident. TELLY football pundit Trevor Sinclair racially abused a police officer after being stopped for drink-driving, a court heard yesterday.

Officers who searched the 44-year-old former Manchester City and England winger after his arrest also found he had wet himself while sitting in their police car.

Magistrates in Blackpool were told Sinclair was arrested for drink driving after giving a reading of 72 micrograms in 100ml of breath – double the 35 micrograms limit.

The father of four pled guilty to drink driving and to committing a racially aggravated public order offence on November 12 last year.

The prosecution dropped other charges including assault on a police officer, failing to provide a specimen and criminal damage.

Sinclair’s solicitor, celebrity lawyer Nick “Mr Loophole” Freeman, told the court that Sinclair, a patron of the anti-racism charity Kick It Out, was “totally embarrassed” by his own behaviour and accepted the officers had not been racist.

In a statement read to the court, PC Gareth Evans said that Sinclair had been “very calm, polite and courteous” before his arrest.

But his attitude changed once he was told he was under arrest.

Evans said: “He started asking if it was because he was black.

“He started getting more confrontational, he was getting more aggressive.

“I did not like the direction the conversation was going in - he was accusing me of being racist.”

The officer said that when Sinclair was put in the back of the police van, he called the officer a “white...” followed by a swear word.

Sinclair made further racial comments while in the back of the van and continued to do so as he was booked in at the station.

Evans’s statement concluded: “Sinclair’s behaviour following his arrest was awful. I’m not a racist. His behaviour was extremely racist.”

Jim Mowbray, prosecuting, told the court that the police had been alerted to an incident at Sinclair’s home address in Lytham, Lancashire, on the night of his arrest.

They were told he had left in his Tesla car and he may have been drinking.

Officers found his car stopped in the middle of the road in Clifton Drive, Blackpool, where Sinclair had collided with a woman who had stepped into his path.

Freeman said the “catalyst” for Sinclair’s behaviour had been an earlier incident in a restaurant where he was eating with his family.

He said a woman had patted him on the head and called him a “little chocolate man”.

Sinclair was ordered to do 150 hours’ community service and given a 20-month driving ban.