Speeding student to miss exam as bail plea refused

An Aberdeen student will miss a crucial exam after being locked up for driving “dangerously” in the city at twice the speed limit.

Sukhraj Here works at Robert Gordon University as a basketball coach, and is taking a course in offshore well inspection there between shifts at the McIntosh Donald meat factory in Portlethen.

The 31-year-old, of Whitehills Lane South in Cove, had hoped to complete the course within the next two weeks by sitting his final exam.

But following an appearance at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday, after being charged with three driv- ing offences on Wednesday night, Here’s immediate hopes of academic success were dashed.

Yesterday, the student’s pleas to be released on bail to sit the exam fell on deaf ears as he was remanded in custody until his next appearance in the dock.

Defence agent Peter Keene said: “Remand would deny him that qualification and means he will probably lose his employment.

“He critically regrets his behaviour and realises he needs to be punished, but wants to be released on bail.”

Sheriff Graham Buchanan listed previous offences of a similar nature and said it would be “completely inappropriate” to liberate Here until his next court appearance.

Here admitted a charge of driving a white Volkswagen Golf dangerously on Charleston Road North and Whitehills Lane South.

He pleaded guilty to reaching speeds of 60mph in a 30mph zone, “repeatedly overtaking other vehicles when it was unsafe to do so” and causing oncoming traffic to “take evasive action”.

He also admitted driving while disqualified, following an offence earlier this year, and driving the car without insurance. Sentence was deferred until November 23 for the preparation of reports.

“He regrets his behaviour and realises he needs to be punished”