112mph driver’s‘moment of madness’
A Boys’ Brigade officer drove at more than 110mph on the M90 motorway during a “complete moment of madness” as he made his way home.
The ton-up trip cost trainee survey engineer Christopher Marr a £600 fine and a four-week disqualification at Perth Sheriff Court this week.
Sheriff William Wood said he had considered imposing nine penalty points on his licence but he already has three after being caught with a bald tyre.
But that would have resulted in the accused losing his licence for six months under the “totting up” procedure.
Instead, the sheriff said he would exercise his “discretion” and put him off the road for a “restricted” period of just a month after hearing that he lived in a remote farmhouse which was not on a direct bus route.
Twenty-year-old Marr admitted driving at 112mph in excess of the 70 limit - at junction five, Gairneybank, near Kinross on June 9, 2019.
An alternative charge alleged that he had driven dangerously and at excessive speed.
His guilty plea was accepted to the lesser charge of speeding.
Depute fiscal Mairi Graham said he had been driving a red Honda Civic just before 5pm. Weather conditions were fair and the traffic was light. A solicitor for the accused explained he had been driving home from Falkirk and had been in the outside lane.
There were no other vehicles around. “Regrettably he exceeded the speed limit for a short distance but co-operated in full and accepted his culpability. His driving wasn’t up to the standard expected. It was a complete moment of madness.”
As a BB officer, Marr was sometimes called on to transport boys to various events.
There were no direct bus links to his work although he did not think he would lose his employment if he lost his licence.
Marr, of Monkshill, Ellon, was told he would have to make alternative transport arrangements as a consequence of his behaviour.
He was given 28 days to pay the fine.