Ex-boxer avoids jail after ‘catalogue of dangerous driving’

Aformer boxing star who was reported to police three times during his first day as a delivery driver has avoided jail.

Witnesses saw Billy Moore speeding on country roads and careering on to the wrong side of the carriageway.

He drove his white van into a ditch, through flower beds and repeatedly slammed it into a lamp post.

The ex-scotland international boxer was stopped twice by police during his five-hour trip then sent on his way.

He was eventually charged after failing to stop when he hit another vehicle.

Moore, 38, faced Perth Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted two charges of dangerous driving on Hogmanay 2019.

The court heard he had felt unwell but did not phone in sick as he “wanted to make a good impression”.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told him: “This was a consistent catalogue of dangerous driving. If someone had lost their life here, we would be looking at a sentence of imprisonment of up to double figures.”

He was sentenced to 280 hours of unpaid work and banned for 33 months.

Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said a witness driving on the A85 at Huntingtower was so concerned about Moore’s driving he followed him.

“The van had hit the pavement for no apparent reason then crossed the central line, before returning to its own side of the carriageway.”

The witness followed the van to Gloagburn Farm.

“It spent the majority of its time in the opposite side of the carriageway.

“At one point, the accused was driving at between 40 and 50mph and drove into a ditch,” said Mr Harding.

At Gloagburn, the van got stuck between the farm shop and a hedge.

The witness called police who arrived at 9.40am but released Moore after a negative breath test.

Mr Harding said another witness reported Moore to the police after seeing him on the A85 between Crieff and Gilmerton.

“Again, he noticed it was being driven erratically... and he mounted a verge and a pavement.

“The witness contacted the police and by the time he had explained what he had seen, the accused got back in his van and drove off at speed.”

In a third instance a witness became aware of Moore’s van so close behind that she activated her hazard lights, said Mr Harding.

He was seen pulling out to overtake, then returned to his side of the road, narrowly missing the woman’s car in front.

At the Comrie Holiday Park Moore was told he could not park outside the manager’s chalet, and while reversing out of the driveway, had then struck a lamp post several times. As he left, he drove into the path of an oncoming vehicle which had to brake.

Police caught up with him on the A85 around 1.20pm when he gave a reading of zero in a breath test and was told he could go.

Just before 2pm, another driver on the A85 spotted Moore’s van behind her swerving over the road, said Mr Harding.

After she pulled in to let him pass, he struck the side of her car without stopping.

“She followed him into Methven. She then pulled her vehicle in front of the van, causing him to stop,” Mr Harding said.

Police turned up and told Moore not to drive further.

Defence agent Pauline Cullerton said Moore had started work for a parcel delivery firm and was feeling ill at the start of his shift, but wanted to make a good impression.

“He now accepts the van he was driving was just too big for him,” she said.

DELIVERY DRIVER: The police were alerted numerous times during Billy Moore’s disaster-filled journey.