Newly-qualified teen banned for ‘appalling’ piece of driving’

A Fife teenager, who had only recently passed his driving test, was caught by police as he hit speeds of 70mph in a built-up area in the early hours of the morning.

When stopped, Lewis Woodrow’s excuse was that he was trying to get his friends to a nightclub before doors closed at 2am.

The incident resulted in Woodrow being disqualified from driving when he appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

The 18-year-old, of South Street, Lochgelly, admitted that on August 27 in Broad Street, Cowdenbeath, he drove a car dangerously and at excessive speed in the face of obvious and potential dangers.

Woodrow, an apprentice bricklayer, had a passenger in the front of his car and three more in the back.

Depute fiscal Claire Bremner said: “At 1.25am police were on mobile patrol in Broad Street, Cowdenbeath, when their attraction was drawn to a Vauxhall Corsa being driven by the accused.”

Police followed Woodrow with the intention of stopping him and he was seen driving at 70mph through built-up areas. His speeding angered a group of around eight people waiting at a taxi rank who shouted at him as he passed.

“The officers thought he was attempting to evade the police vehicle because the manner of his driving was so dangerous,” said Ms Bremner.

He described his own driving to the police as “shocking and shouldn’t be tolerated” added the fiscal. He also called it “very unsafe and stupid”.

Defence solicitor Jenny Clarke said her client had only passed his test in February, adding: “As soon as the police put on their blue lights he stopped. “He was very apologetic.” Sheriff Charles MacNair said, “This was an appalling piece of driving, particularly for an inexperienced driver like yourself. People crossing the road don’t expect vehicles to be travelling at 70mph through built-up areas like Cowdenbeath.”

Woodrow was fined £750 and banned from driving for 14 months.

He will have to pass the extended driving test when his ban is up.