Chef is banned after road smash

A chef whose careless driving caused a smash that hospitalised the passenger of another car near Invergarry on February 11 was banned from driving for seven months and handed a £720 fine when he appeared at Fort William Sheriff Court last week.

Gordon Angus McNeill, 41, of 24 Cara View, Tayinloan, Tarbert, pleaded guilty to the charge of careless driving, which took place near where the A87 Kyle to Invergarry road joins the A82.

McNeill had just completed a morning shift as part of some agency work at a hotel on Skye and was heading home when the accident occurred at 2pm.

The court heard that McNeill’s red Jaguar had been negotiating a sweeping left-hand bend and had drifted into the middle of the road outside Invergarry.

Procurator fiscal Martina Eastwood said: ‘McNeill’s car was straddling the centre double white line as it met the Hilux and showed no sign of changing course. The driver of the Hilux had to take evasive manoeuvres to try to avoid a collision.’

The Jaguar and the Hilux then collided, with McNeill’s vehicle coming to rest on the verge.

‘Both airbags in the Hilux deployed and, while its driver was uninjured, the passenger was taken to Raigmore Hospital and treated for a fractured sternum,’ added Mrs Eastwood.

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald heard Mrs Eastwood explain that the driver and passenger of the Hilux had got out of their vehicle and spoken to McNeill, who had apologised and explained he might have fallen asleep at the wheel.

Defence agent Hamish Melrose told the court there was no suggestion McNeill had been driving at excessive speed at the time of the accident but that he did allow his vehicle to cross over onto the opposing carriageway.

‘He apologised and accepted responsibility. He’s not really sure how this came about and said as a way of explanation that he may have fallen asleep but it is not necessarily the case that he did fall asleep. That was just his first reaction at the scene of the accident,’ said Mr Melrose.

Mr Melrose said McNeill, who is single, had been working on Skye for six months as an agency chef and commuted every day at the time of the accident.

‘He has no previous convictions and has never had any endorsements on his driving licence in more than 20 years of driving. This is actually his first appearance in a court for any driving offence and I am asking My Lady to take that into account in any sentencing.’

Mr Melrose also told Sheriff MacDonald that McNeill needed his licence to drive to work every day as his commute was 24 miles. He currently works as an executive head chef at a hotel in Machrihanish.

But Sheriff MacDonald told McNeill this was a very serious matter. ‘You are lucky more significant injuries did not occur, although an injury did occur which was significant and frightening,’ she said.

‘It is incomprehensible to me that you could not explain how your car strayed onto the opposing carriageway.

‘I therefore have no alternative but to impose a period of disqualification. You will be disqualified for a period of seven months and I impose a fine of £720.’