Dangerous driver banned and fined after near miss with off-duty officer

A DANGEROUS driver has been banned from the roads for a year and fined £1,000 after almost crashing into an off- duty police officer on a motorbike.

Cesidio Martin Di Ciacca, 63, from Strathclyde, appeared in Fort William Sheriff Court last Friday charged with dangerous driving after overtaking a line of vehicles in the path of oncoming cars, forcing the motorists to take evasive action to avoid collision.

An off- duty police officer travelling south on the A82 to Tyndrum on June 7 2016 had to perform an emergency stop and pull onto the verge when he saw a burgundy Range Rover coming straight towards him on the Achtriochtan straight near Glencoe.

The court heard how Di Ciacca, who was travelling north to Skye, overtook a car and a high-sided vehicle when he entered the south bound carriageway, before seeing the police officer on his motorbike and attempting to pull back into his lane in front of an HGV.

The officer said: ‘I thought I was going to crash straight into the oncoming Range Rover.’ He added the Range Rover was so close to him when he passed in the south bound lane he could have ‘reached his arm out and touched the car’.

But the retired business man, who is involved with three charities in the UK and Italy, said when he pulled out to overtake he had felt it was safe to do so on the straight stretch of road and had not seen the motorcyclist when he began the manoeuvre. Di Ciacca said he had made an ‘error in judgment’ but pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving.

Sheriff William Taylor found Di Ciacca guilty and said: ‘I have no doubt the crown have proven their case that this manoeuvre was a very dangerous one.’ He added that the motorcyclist ‘could have been killed had he not taken action’.

The court heard how a disqualification for Di Ciacca would have a ‘significant impact on him and his family’ and would effect his charity work across the UK and in Italy.

As well as the ban and fine, Di Ciacca will also be required to re-sit an extended driving test to re- obtain his licence.