Motorist who undertook car full of detectives handed fine

A motorist who was taking a friend to see her father at hospital undertook cars in order to get there quickly, including a vehicle containing police detectives.

Perth Sheriff Court heard that Kris Scott, 30, of Edinburgh, had been driving on the M90 Inverkeithing to Perth motorway at 12.10pm in his Honda Civic when a car full of detectives noticed he was “too close” to their vehicle.

Depute fiscal Craig Donald said: “The officers felt the accused had not left enough braking distance.

“They saw him undertake their vehicle and then do the same to another car, this time by using the hard shoulder.

“This caused a significant amount of stone chippings to come loose and the windscreen of the detectives’ car was chipped as a result.”

Scott’s solicitor said her client was driving a female friend to Perth Royal Infirmary to see her father who had suffered a stroke. However, he revealed the accused had suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and travelling to the hospital brought back “memories” of this.

“My client has been receiving help at a trauma stress centre but he suffered flashbacks on this trip to Perth,” she said.

Scott admitted that on March 25 on the M90 motorway, between junctions nine and 10, he drove dangerously by undertaking vehicles, including using the hard shoulder on one occasion, causing debris to spill over the road.

Sentencing Scott, Sheriff Gillian Wade told him: “This was a very serious road traffic offence.”

He was ordered to carry out 225 hours’ unpaid work and banned for 18 months.