Kyle driver fined £600 over careless driving

A KYLE motorist who admitted an act of careless driving was fined £600 at Fort William Sheriff Court last week.

David Hewitt, of Kirkton by Kyle, pleaded guilty at an earlier court appearance to the offence which took place on April 7 last year on the Invergarry to Kyle of Lochalsh stretch of the A87.

Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald heard Procurator Fiscal Robert Weir explain how Hewitt, 37, had pulled out to overtake a slower moving bus on a straight section of road: ‘There is a suggestion the [bus] increased its speed and he had to drop back behind it,’ said Mr Weir. ‘However, an oncoming vehicle had to take evasive action which caused it to drive into a ditch. There was some minor damage to one of its wheels, but no injuries.’

Defence agent Hamish Melrose said his client was a self-employed plasterer, who was married with a young child.

Mr Melrose said the stretch of road involved was long and straight, but due to it being a downhill section of the road, the bus had started to pick up speed.

‘Mr Hewitt was driving a large Mercedes works van. It was a safe moment to overtake but because of the increasing speed of the bus, the large van did not have the capacity to pick up speed quickly enough.’

Mr Melrose said it was three months before police contacted his client, adding: ‘It goes without saying if he loses his licence he would not be able to work.’

Passing sentence, Sheriff MacDonald said she was prepared to accept it was an error of judgment more than anything else on on Hewitt’s part.

As well as the fine of £600, she ordered his licence be endorsed with seven penalty points.