A late-night high-speed police chase led officers to an attic cannabis farm, a court heard today.
Duncan Shelley, 31, caught officers’ attention as he sped down the A9 in a borrowed van in the early hours of September 9 last year.
But by the time police caught up with the vehicle, it had crashed down an embankment and there was no sign of the driver.
After enquiries revealed Shelley to be the driver police paid a visit to his home – and discovered seven cannabis plants growing in the attic.
Fiscal Depute Martina Eastwood told Tain Sherriff Court that police on mobile patrol had been heading southbound on the A9 towards the Dornoch Bridge when the van attracted their attention.
She said: “They noticed tail lights that seemed to be travelling at speed.”
The court heard that officers increased their speed in an attempt to catch up with the vehicle but even at 90mph were unable to close the gap.
When the van turned onto the B9165 towards Fearn, the police activated their blue lights, but to no avail.
Ms Eastwood said: “After a sharp left hand bend they observed head lights and hazard lights down an embankment.
The driver was nowhere to be seen, she added.
Welfare concerns prompted search
The court heard that when police established Shelley was the driver they paid a visit to his home address at Poets Corner, Pitgrudy Farm and, concerned for his welfare when he failed to answer the door, officers entered.
“Due to the severity of the accident and the fact that the accused’s wellbeing was not known,” said Ms Eastwood “They conducted a search.”
The fiscal depute went on: “They looked upstairs and located seven cannabis plants in an attic space.”
A further search returned the plants and growing paraphernalia as well as 250 grams of cannabis leaf.
Shelley admitted charges of producing and possessing a class B drug and driving without due care or attention by driving at excessive speed and failing to stop for the police, as well as a charge of failing to report an accident.
Accused ‘not aware’ police were following
Solicitor Graham Mann, for Shelley told the court his client “accepts his wrongdoing” but added: “It was his position and it remains his position that he had not been aware that the police were behind him.”
He said the self-employed joiner and father-of-two “seems to have stepped back from heavy use,” and expressed his hope that he would continue on that path.
Sheriff Gary Aitken placed Shelley on a Community Payback Order requiring him to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and disqualified him from driving for nine months.
