Careless driver sentenced

A disqualified driver who accelerated his van towards a police officer after being caught behind the wheel has appeared in court.

Andrew Irvine of Hazel Avenue, Kirkcaldy, pled guilty to a charge of careless driving following the incident at Fife Central Retail Park on August 16 last year.

The 32-year-old was spotted by two officers who were out on a routine patrol and discovered the van driven by Irvine was uninsured.

They attempted to stop him in the car park of McDonald’s with one of the officers standing on the roadway.

But Irvine instead accelerated towards the officer causing him to take evasive action.

Irvine appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Thursday where he also admitted driving a motor vehicle while disqualified.

Defence solicitor David Bell said his client maintained that the police officer “had not been as close as the report suggests”.

Sheriff Alistair Thornton told the court he believed the act amounted to dangerous driving but he would have to sentence Irvine for the careless driving charge which had been agreed.

He imposed a community payback order with 160 hours of unpaid work.

He also disqualified him from driving for 24 months and imposed a restriction of liberty order.

Sheriff Thornton warned: “If the order is not completed, I will send you straight to prison.”