Driver did not notice crash
A woman failed to stop after causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage to another car in a Perthshire village.
And when DVLA and computer checks were made on 52-year-old Shirley Jones, it was discovered she was a disqualified driver - and had no insurance.
When interviewed by police, she explained she had only driven a short distance and claimed: “I was unaware I had hit another car.”
The accused, of David Street, Alyth, paid the penalty at Perth Sheriff Court when she was ordered to be “tagged” and will be restricted to her home from 7pm-7am, seven days a week, for the next six months. She was also banned for three years after pleading guilty to four motoring charges.
She admitted driving while under a ban - and with no insurance cover - in Market Square, Alyth, on September 8, 2019. Jones also drove carelessly and collided with a Ford Ranger pick-up after failing to keep a proper look-out - and did not stop after the smash.
Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said the accused was driving a Citroen Picasso which was seen “turning at speed” into The Square. There was a “loud bang” and she hit the front of the other vehicle, causing damage to the bumper estimated at around £400.
A passer-by had noted the registration number and Jones was later traced.
Solicitor Paul Ralph said the accused was not able to complete unpaid work but a restriction of liberty order could be imposed instead.
Sheriff William Wood said: “People who drive while disqualified can expect the court to take a serious view.”
He had considered whether a prison sentence should be imposed but a “direct alternative” was available.
He noted that the accused had told police she did not appreciate she had collided with the other car.
But he added: “That flies in the face of the Crown narrative that you had to rev several times to manage to extricate the vehicle.”