Trial of driver delayed because of hols

A dangerous driving trial has had to be delayed as the accused is going away on holiday, Perth Sheriff Court was told.

Fifty-eight-year-old Graeme Duncan, of High Street, Auchterarder, was to have faced trial next month, accused of two counts of driving dangerously in the centre of Auchterarder at Hallowe’en - and striking two teenage boys.

He has denied hitting first a 15-year-old boy and then a 16-year-old youth with his car in separate incidents.

A seven-charge indictment also accuses him of having a baseball bat in his possession.

He did not appear personally at the latest court hearing but was represented by local lawyer David Holmes.

He explained that the trial had originally been fixed for June 10 and then adjourned to August 9.

But he asked for the date to be pushed back again as his client was going on holiday with his wife and family.

The prosecution offered no objection and Sheriff Linda

Smith fixed a new date for September 27.

It is alleged that on October 31, 2019, on Hunter Street and High Street, Auchterarder, Duncan drove dangerously, mounted the pavement and drove along it towards the 15-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age.

It is then claimed that he caused the vehicle to strike the teen.

Duncan is also said to have behaved in a threatening or abusive manner -“likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm”- by shouting in an aggressive manner at the boy.

A further charge states that he had a baseball bat in his possession at the time.

A second charge of dangerous driving is said to have taken place on Crown Wynd, Auchterarder, again on October 31, 2019.

This time he is accused of driving round a corner at speed, in the direction of two 16-yearold youths, causing his car to strike one of them.

Duncan is also alleged to have shouted in an aggressive manner towards two boys, aged 14 and 13, in Hunter Street.

A sixth charge claims that the accused attempted to strike a different 14-year-old with the baseball bat in Hunter Street on the same date.

None of the youths in these last three charges can be identified.

The final charge states that on an occasion different to the one specified above, Duncan again had an offensive weapon - the baseball bat - in Hunter Street.

Duncan had his bail continued following his latest court hearing.