Sheriff ‘holds a sword’ over teen joyrider

A Dundee16-year-old joyrider who caused carnage on the roads around has failed in a bid to avoid being dealt with in an adult court.

A sheriff told the young offender he needed to be able to “hold the sword over him” of the greater punishment a more senior court could dispense.

The boy, who was caught driving dangerously three times in the space of a few weeks when he had just turned 15, said he should be dealt with by the Children’s Panel.

The teenager repeatedly drove at high speed and smashed one car into a wall and another into an oncoming vehicle and lamp post during a spate of offences in Dundee.

Defending solicitor Paul Parker-smith asked Dundee Sheriff Court to refer the case to the Children’s Reporter to be dealt with.

He said: “I appreciate there are three counts of dangerous driving before the court but he is not even 16 and a quarter yet. He is a youngster who has gone off the rails and is hopefully now back on the rails.

“Supports are in place and he does now seem to be behaving himself, and I am not aware of any other matters outstanding.”

However, Sheriff George Way rejected the plea and said: “I have given the matter considerable thought. I am not persuaded, given the nature of the offences, as I think it has to stay in the road traffic world.

“I think he has to understand that if he offends along these lines again, things will happen that he will not like. It is just too easy to get behind the wheel of a car.

“I think he needs to entirely understand that three section two offences (dangerous driving) would get any adult driver the jail – end of story.

“He really needs to understand that and I think I need to hold that sword over him which is not available to the Children’s Panel system.”

The youth, who cannot be named because of his age, was banned from driving for three years and placed under supervision for 12 months.

He admitted a total of 10 charges including driving dangerously around various Dundee streets on March 22, March 29 and June 30 last year.

On the first occasion, he admitted accelerating harshly, speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road, ignoring road markings and forcing other drivers to take evasive action. The incident ended when he smashed a Seat Ibiza Sport into a wall.

A week later he stole a VW Polo from Russell Crescent and hit a Ford Focus as he sped around the city before losing control and smashing into a lamp post. On June 30, he was driving a Ford Fiesta when he raced through a red light at speed and drove on the wrong side of the road. He drove into the face of oncoming cars and forced them to swerve to avoid being struck.