Pop star careered toward motorist in lay-by confusion

Will Young, the singer, narrowly missed running over another driver when he mistakenly careered into a lay-by, a court heard.

The 39-year-old was near Earlston on the A68 driving towards Edinburgh at 6pm on Jan 21 when he was said to have mistaken a bollard for the central reservation.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court heard that “conditions were fairly poor” when Young drove into a lay-by at 40mph. The owner of a parked Nissan Qashqai, who was crossing the lay-by, had to “jump clear to avoid being struck”.

The court heard the entertainer braked to avoid hitting the man but lost control of his Mercedes G-class.

He wrote off the Nissan, the court heard. The singer had been “extremely apologetic” and sheltered the man from the cold in his car while awaiting police.

Young pleaded guilty in March to driving without due care, as well as at excessive speed for the conditions and for entering a lay-by, before appearing for sentencing yesterday. Sheriff J Euan Edment imposed five penalty points and banned him for six months. Young already had 11 points as well as a drink-driving conviction from 1998.