An uninsured driver sped off when approached by police and led officers on a chase in Aberdeen.
Stephen Webster sped away from officers as they tried to speak to him, and sped through Byron Crescent, Marchburn Drive, Springhill Road and Lintmill Place.
The 41-year-old managed to lose the pursuing cops, who caught up to find the vehicle abandoned, but was traced nearby.
Fiscal depute Ellen Barr told Aberdeen Sheriff Court police spotted Webster’s vehicle at around 8pm on July 13, 2019, and a check revealed it was not insured.
She said: “Police witnesses followed the car, which came to a stop of its own accord.
“The officers left their own vehicle in order to approach the car and speak to the accused.
“The accused’s vehicle suddenly accelerated and drove away.
“Police witnesses thereafter activated their blue lights and sirens and pursued the vehicle, which turned into a number of different roads, driving in excess of the speed limit and failing to give way at various junctions.
“The vehicle was lost to view, but thereafter it was found abandoned and the accused not within.
“He was traced nearby and cautioned and arrested.”
‘Everything here is, to some extent, drug-related’
Webster pled guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance, as well as separate charges of possession of cocaine worth £10 and heroin worth £60 and failing to appear at court.
Defence agent Graham Morrison said his client had had an issue with drugs previously but managed to turn his life around until his partner died suddenly in 2019.
Mr Morrison said Webster’s life was “turned upside down” and he struggled to cope and fell back into drug use.
Referring to the charges, he said: “Everything here is, to some extent, drug-related.”
However, the solicitor went on to say that since lockdown Webster had managed to stay free from drugs.
Sheriff Margaret Hodge deferred sentence on Webster, of Bankhead Road, Aberdeen, until April to allow time for a criminal justice social work report to be prepared.
The sheriff also disqualified him from driving in the interim, with the length of his ban to be confirmed at the sentencing hearing.
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