Keith man banned from driving after accelerating towards police officers
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A MAN from Keith has been banned from driving for one year after he accelerated towards police officers which forced them into evasive action.
Police officers went searching for a vehicle after receiving a report of unpaid fuel at an Elgin petrol station.
They traced 24 year old Sean McNamara of Mid Street, Keith on January 26, 2022 to Dufftown despite a bail condition preventing him from entering the village.
However, when the pair of constables alighted from their van, Inverness Sheriff Court heard that McNamara accelerated towards them.
Fiscal depute David Morton said that the officers had to take evasive action to avoid being struck.
Mr Morton added: "He made a foolish decision to drive away instead of stopping. The officers estimated his speed at 10mph when they had to take evasive action."
McNamara, who was been on remand since February 1, admitted two charges of culpable and reckless conduct to the danger of life and a breach of bail.
He was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work, placed under 18 months of social work supervision and banned from driving for a year.
Sheriff Robert Macdonald also added a restriction of liberty order, confining McNamara to his address from 7pm to 7am for 145 days.
The Sheriff told him: "You could have caused serious injury had you struck the officers."
Defence solicitor Matthew O'Neill said his client was remorseful and was extremely disappointed by his behaviour.
"His female friend went into the petrol station on the face of it to pay and it was only when he had driven off, that she told him no payment had been made.
"He panicked and agreed to stop in Dufftown for her to go to the toilet. He became aware of the police and when his friend told him 'do something', he drove off.
"But the officers had got out of their van and he placed them in danger when they had gone towards him. No injuries were caused." Mr O'Neill went on.
