A dangerous driver who crashed his car into a wall then fled the scene leaving the wreckage in the middle of the road later lied to police by telling officers his car had been stolen.
Bannor Masson has been handed a driving ban and a fine for wasting police time after he crashed his car into a wall on the B9031 Fraserburgh to Rosehearty road on August 23, 2020.
The 25-year-old left the wreckage in the road in the middle of the night and fled to his girlfriend’s house. When police tracked him down almost one week later, he lied and said his car had been stolen before this.
He admitted driving dangerously and wasting police time at Peterhead Sheriff Court.
Drove on verge and tore along side of wall
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose said the wreckage of Masson’s car was found, in the dark, by another driver at around 1am near the B9031 Sandhaven junction.
“It was dark, and the car was blocking the carriageway,” he said.
“The witness couldn’t identify the make or model of the car but as he approached it he noticed two people getting into another vehicle and driving away.
“Police were called and checks by officers shows the accused as the owner of the black car. Its offside airbags had been deployed and the vehicle was damaged.”
He said the car had been driven along the verge for some time before it collided with a stone wall.
“It caused extensive damage, to the value of £1,000, along the wall for about 20 to 25 metres before the car came to a stop on the eastbound carriageway.”
Lied to police officers
Concerned about injuries, police carried out checks to trace the driver but despite multiple visits to his house, he wasn’t tracked down until he was spotted in Fraserburgh six days later.
“He then stated he had already spoken to a solicitor and wanted to make a complaint that his vehicle had been stolen,” the fiscal added.
“It was the police view that the accused wouldn’t have reported this had he not been approached by police.”
Defence solicitor Marianne Milligan said her client was in a “self-destructive” mode at the time of the accident and lie, and was suffering from mental health issues.
“He didn’t report the accident and went to his girlfriend’s house afterwards instead,” she told the court. He accepts full responsibility for his actions and knows he was 100% at fault. He knows he was stupid and reckless.
“At the time he had been drinking a lot, his lifestyle was slightly out of control and he was in a self-destructive mode.
“He was having mental health issues, problems with child contact and alcohol.
“Since April, he had not had any alcohol, he is back in employment and his mental health is doing much better.”
Change of tune since giving ‘cover story’
The social work report agreed he has been “open” about the offence and has improved his lifestyle since.
“He has apologised to all concerned,” Mrs Milligan added. “He is trying to get his life back on track and is sorry for his behaviour.”
Sheriff Joseph Platt told him: “You left a vehicle in the road for anyone else to come into a collision with. Then you fled the scene.”
He said the “cover story” Masson gave police was an “attempt to deflect attention” from himself.
Masson, of Mormond Avenue, Fraserburgh, was fined a total of £805 and banned from the road for 12 months.
He must also sit an extended driving test to regain his licence.
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