Charity runner losesl hishi job after road rage shame
A CHARITY runner lost his job after becoming embroiled in a road rage incident which nearly caused a huge lorry to crash on a busy motorway.
Raymond McNulty saw red when the 44- tonne Waitrose delivery HGV overtook him on the M8. He overtook and repeatedly slammed on his brakes, forcing the truck driver to brake so suddenly his trailer swung into the outside lane.
McNulty – who has raised thousands competing in charity runs – then confronted the driver, wrenching open his cab door, before unleashing a stream of abuse.
However, the moment of madness resulted in the scaffolder being released from his job and facing a court appearance where his behaviour was carpeted by a sheriff.
“You seem to be an angry man,” Sheriff Iain Duguid QC told McNulty last week, as he banned him from driving for 15 month.
He also placed the 48- year- old under a social work supervision order for a year with a condition he attends anger management courses, and ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work
McNulty – who raised more than £4500 for a cancer charity by competing in the Edinburgh Marathon earlier this year – appeared for sentence at Livingston Sheriff Court on Thursday as a result of what the sheriff described as “a serious case of road rage”.
He earlier pled guilty to driving dangerously and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards the HGV driver and his passenger on October 17 last year.
The Edinburgh runner admitted repeatedly applying his brakes without cause after overtaking the HGV and forcing the driver to brake sharply to avoid a collision.
The court heard the HGV driver managed to bring his truck safely to a halt in the eastbound carriageway between Junction 2 at Livingston and Junction 3, Newbridge, before being threatened by McNulty.
Alistair Macleod, prosecuting, said McNulty got out of his truck, walked towards the HGV and tried to open the driver’s door.
He said: “He appeared to be very angry. The driver closed the door to stop the accused from getting in but the accused opened the door and began to shout and swear at both witnesses.”
He said McNulty was using threatening and offences phrases against the driver and his passenger and said he would “stove in” the witnesses’ heads when they got to Waitrose with their delivery.
Mr Macleod added: “The HGV driver closed his door and told McNulty to leave him alone.”
McNulty then followed the HGV as it continued towards theWaitrose supermarket in Comely Bank, Edinburgh, and the driver became so concerned he contacted police who quickly arrested him.
Alan Jackson, defending, said McNulty, who suffered from anxiety and had difficulty sleeping, had been “released” from his job as a driver since the incident.
He said: “He recognises he has an anger management issue.”
He described McNulty as a hard-working man who contributed fruitfully to society and engaged in charity work, running long distances to raise money for good causes.