Merc driver gets £1350 fine and seven points

A car salesman who was clocked speeding on a busy motorway has been hit with a four-figure fine.

Ewan Montgomery (23) pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving during an appearance at Stirling Sheriff Court on Monday morning.

The Ingram Road resident drove at excessive speeds and close to other vehicles while on the M9, between junction seven at Kinnaird and junction nine, on December 13.

The court heard how Montgomery, a sales executive at a Mercedes-Benz dealership, was heading home from work with a company car at around 7.40pm when his driving caught the attention of police.

Officers within a marked vehicle felt he was going too fast and decided to follow him.

They observed him travelling at around 95mph and close to the rear bumper of other cars – causing them to pull in to let him past. He was pulled over by officers near the junction nine services.

The court was told that Montgomery, who can earn between £2500 and £4000 each month depending on performance, had put his job and livelihood at risk through his careless driving as he already had three penalty points.

Sheriff James MacDonald said:“You were a young man driving a powerful car. It can sometimes be a bad combination between the youth and inexperience, and the power of the machine.

“You certainly caused other people an inconvenience. Your driving can only be described as aggressive – however you did not hit any other vehicles or lose control. You were driving at a grossly excessive speed and this cannot be tolerated.

“I’m going to impose a fine which reflects both the gravity of the offence and your income.”

Montgomery was fined a sum of £1350 and had seven points added to his licence.

Sheriff MacDonald added:“That’s you now on ten penalty points. You are on eggshells now.”