Jail and 10-year ban for ‘selfish’ motorist

A MOTORIST who repeatedly flouted a driving ban has been locked up and banned from the roads for the next decade.

Police clocked 29-year-old Charlie Anderson behind the wheel of a car on three separate occasions between February and April – despite being disqualified from driving.

On one occasion, an intoxicated Anderson stumbled out of a vehicle and had to jump back into the driver’s seat to pull the handbrake on as the car rolled away.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard that in the first incident, a member of the public saw Anderson driving a Nissan Qashqai which collided with a fence on Longtown Road.

Officers attended and took a swab of blood from the airbag which matched to Anderson, who had left the vehicle. It was established he had been driving while banned and uninsured.

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson said a month later, police on patrol in the early hours of the morning in the Hilltown area saw Anderson driving a Vauxhall Astra that was swerving and having difficulty to park.

She said: “The vehicle had a flat tyre and there was clear damage to the offside bumper. Officers approached the accused and asked him to turn off the engine.

“His speech was slurred and his pupils were dilated. They believed he was under the influence but a roadside test found there was no alcohol in his system.

“The vehicle then proceeded to roll forward and the accused jumped in and pulled the handbrake.”

On a third occasion, brazen Anderson was captured on CCTV driving a black Audi containing a group of friends into the car park outside Clark’s Bakery on Annfield Row.

Anderson, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance on

South Road and Longtown Road on February 3.

He committed the same offences on Hilltown and Hilltown Terrace on March 25 as well as driving while unfit through drink or drugs.

Anderson also drove while disqualified and uninsured on Peddie Street and Annfield Row on April 10.

Solicitor advocate Jim Laverty admitted that a jail term was inevitable for Anderson, adding that his client offered to plead guilty from the outset.

“He really wishes to put this matter behind him and get on with his life,” said Mr Laverty said.

“He accepts he’s been selfish in continuing to drive and he really requires to get this compulsion under control.”

Jailing Anderson for 28 months, Sheriff Tom Hughes said: “You have a bad record of previous convictions and you committed these offences while subject to an unexpired portion of sentence.”

Anderson was also disqualified from driving for 10 years.