Motorist caught at 140mph avoids jail sentence

A MOTORIST caught driving at 140mph on a busy dual carriageway has avoided a jail term.

Robert Doyle was spotted by police hitting double the speed limit on the A92 dual carriageway in Angus on August 27 last year.

He was first clocked by a roadside camera travelling at 104mph in his high-performance Volkswagen Golf GTi.

Doyle, 23, failed to slow his speed after officers gave chase and in fact started overtaking other cars at high speed. He was recorded by police at a speed of 139.8mph.

Fiscal depute Bill Kermode told Forfar Sheriff Court that: “Other road users would have been potentially unaware of the vehicle approaching at such a high speed, braking distances would have been significantly increased and the reaction time of the accused would have been decreased.”

Mr Kermode said Doyle had passed a string of hazards including driveways to houses adjoining the dual carriageway, bus stops and areas where cyclists and pedestrians regularly cross.

He added: “Police travelled behind the vehicle in lane two, overtaking several other vehicles. When he was stopped he made no comment when cautioned and charged.”

Doyle, of Montrose, pled guilty on summary complaint to a charge of dangerous driving committed on the A92 in Angus on August 27 last year. He was on bail from Aberdeen Sheriff Court at the time.

Doyle was placed on a community payback order with 75 hours unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to sit the extended driving test to get his licence back.