Perth Sheriff Court

A Coupar Angus man has been cleared of driving dangerously after being accused of veering towards a group of cyclists taking part in a road race.

William Peebles had denied failing to adjust his speed while the race was taking place before losing control and veering towards participants on the unclassified road between Newtyle and Kettins on May 16 this year.

The 57-year-old walked free from court after witnesses could not agree on the identification of the vehicle involved or its driver.

The court had previously heard from Scottish Road Race cycling champion Andrew Bruce, who said a silver Landrover, which he estimated to be travelling at between 55mph and 60mph, had missed the group of around 35 riders “by inches”.

He said it then swerved into the verge, spraying stones “the size of golf balls” towards the competitors.

Sheriff William Wood accepted solicitor Lene Doherty’s submission that there was no case to answer. A woman has admitted falsely claiming more than £4,500 in benefits.

Margaret Lovatt told officials that she had no other forms of income when applying to change her employment and support allowance to jobseekers allowance, and while filing a claim for housing benefit, thus gaining thousands of pounds of payments to which she was not entitled.

The fraud lasted more than a year.

However, the 59-year-old was secretly receiving a pension from private firm Old Mutual Wealth.

She admitted claiming £2,604 in jobseekers allowance at an address in Huntingtower Road, Perth, and one in Kirk Wynd, Dunning, between March 18 2014 and November 24 the same year.

She further admitted to claiming £2,000 in housing benefit at the same addresses between November 19 2013 and November 30 2014.

Sheriff Gillian Wade deferred sentence on Lovatt, of Kirk Wynd, Dunning, until November for reports to be obtained.