Man will face trial on several driving charges
A 26-year-old Perth man will face trial before a jury on September 14, accused of a catalogue of motoring charges, including driving dangerously while using a mobile phone, swerving across the road and narrowly missing mowing down a pedestrian.
Steven Gow, of Colonsay Street, North Muirton, is also accused of failing to stop and give his details and driving away from a crash scene in a badly damaged Audi A3 which had allegedly been taken without the owner’s consent.
The 20-charge indictment further claims that he attacked three police officers by kicking them and repeatedly spitting at them, claiming he was infected with coronavirus.
Gow did not appear in person at the latest Perth Sheriff Court hearing but was represented by local lawyer David Holmes.
The dangerous driving episode is said to have taken place on August 12, 2020, at Airth Park, Auchterarder, on the A824 Auchterarder-Aberuthven road and near Aberuthven Cemetery.
Gow is alleged to have collided with a wall, causing substantial damage to the car and the wall, before driving away and repeatedly striking a kerb.
He is also said to have failed to give his name and address and details of the vehicle’s owner – and failed to co-operate with a preliminary breath test.
He is then accused of assaulting PCs Robert Southern, Alistair Bloomer and Victoria Taylor by kicking them, spitting at them and telling them he was infected with COVID-19.
Charges of resisting arrest by attempting to break free from police and struggling with them at Airth Park were denied, as was a further count of shouting and swearing, repeatedly threatening PC Bloomer with violence and making threats of sexual violence towards the officer’s dead grandmother at Ninewells Hospital and Dundee Police HQ.
Gow is alleged to have taken away the Audi without consent and driven it while unfit through drink or drugs on the A824, near the cemetery, and also purposely urinated on officers who were restraining him at police HQ, soiling their clothing.
It is further claimed that he had cannabis in his possession at the police station and that he spat in PC Danielle McGinley’s eye.
The four final charges are said to have taken place on September 21, 2020 - the first at Dundee Police HQ where it is alleged he spat on PC Evan MacDonald.
Next it is claimed he resisted PC MacDonald in Perth’s Strathtay Road by flailing his arms in the air to obstruct a search and then made violent threats and referred to officers in a derogatory manner.
The 20th charge on the indictment claims that Dow bit PC MacDonald at police HQ, again on September 21.
Sheriff William Wood continued the accused’s bail until his trial next month.