Farmer who drove into vegan protestor walks free from court He pleads guilty to careless driving rap

A farmer has escaped without punishment after he drove into a vegan protestor blocking his cattle abattoir delivery.

James Mather, 54, hit Neill McGill as he took part in an animal rights demonstration.

The motorist had faced claims he attacked the activist by deliberately driving into him outside Sandyford Abattoir.

He pled guilty to careless driving during a hearing at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Defence lawyer Andrew Park insisted his client had clipped Mr McGill by accident.

He said: “He does accept he did make contact and it is careless driving. He didn’t realise he had made contact with him because he was moving at such a slow speed. The difference is these protestors were on the road.

“They were blocking the road.The abattoir had to contact police and ask for an escort because they were blocking the road.”

Mather nudged Mr McGill as he tried to make his way into Sandyford Abattoir in Paisley.

The surrounding streets have been the scene of ongoing protests by activists.

The court heard cattle could have been sent running onto the nearby M8 motorway if his trailer had opened.

The driver faced an alternative charge of assaulting the man by hitting him and forcing him to the side of the road during the drama on June 6 last year.

He denied attacking the victim but admitted driving without due care and attention.

Mr Park insisted nobody had been hurt during the demonstration.

He added: “He did make contact, but there was no intention there.”

The solicitor warned disqualifying his client would impact on his ability to work.

He maintained a roads ban would stop him from being able to make farm deliveries.

The offence would also be flaggedup to officials when trying to apply for a shotgun licence for his business.

Sheriff David Pender convicted Mather but refused to apply a punishment . He said: “I am granting an absolute discharge and declining to impose any penalty points.”

Mather, of Kelso, in the Scottish Borders, was allowed to leave the dock.