The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Joyrider already had lifetime bans
A 112car-obsessed joyrider was already banned for three lifetimes and years when he crashed at speed into another motorist on a roundabout.
John Phillips drove through red lights and at “grossly excessive speed” despite having already been banned from driving on 21 previous occasions.
He had been freed early from a previous jail term when he tore round the residential streets of Perth before holing up at a house party, where he was eventually arrested.
Phillips was jailed for two years and given his fourth lifetime ban from driving when he admitted the latest offences at Perth Sheriff Court.
Solicitor David Holmes, defending, said Phillips feels “freedom” when is driving and his behaviour in relation to cars may be a sign of a deep-rooted underlying issue.
He said: “There is such frequent driving in his record that it may need questioned whether it is because of some deep underlying issue.
“When asked he says he feels a freedom and removal of anxiety.”
Phillips, 31, from Perth, admitted driving dangerously and at high speed around various streets in the Letham area of the city on January 31.
He also admitted driving the uninsured Ford Focus while banned, driving through red lights, failing to stop for police and colliding with a Suzuki Swift at a roundabout.
Fiscal depute Gail Russell told Perth Sheriff Court: “He has served seven lengthy sentences for road traffic offending.
“He has multiple road traffic convictions dating back to 2007.
“Police told staff at the Co-op that they were looking for the accused.
“A short time later the staff called police to advise that the accused was seen leaving the car park.
“Police observed the car coming towards them and they turned their marked vehicle around.
“Blue lights were activated and he was seen to drive off at excessive speed.”
She said there were pedestrians and other cars around as Phillips raced around the streets before ignoring a red light and hitting the Suzuki as he cut across a roundabout.
He was discovered at a party later the same evening.
Previously, Phillips was described by another lawyer as having a “deepseated attraction” to motor cars which fuelled his long list of convictions.
Solicitor Paul Ralph said: “He cannot go out when he’s feeling lost or
bewildered with life and put everyone at danger – he is aware of that.
“He clearly has a deepseated attraction to motor vehicles. This is a pattern of offending.”
Phillips was also compared to driving like he was in “a TV show or
movie” when he was caught clocking 70mph through streets with speed bumps and a 20mph limit.
He has been convicted on at least six occasions of dangerous driving and has been described in court as having one of the worst driving records in Scotland.