An Aberdeen businessman pulled over for hitting 89mph on the A90 told police he was rushing home because he “really needed the toilet”.
Humza Malik told officers an attack of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) was the reason he was speeding along the Aberdeen to Peterhead road.
It’s a defence that was famously pioneered by former Aberdeen FC manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999, when he claimed severe diarrhoea was the reason he was using the hard shoulder of a motorway.
The 32-year-old’s speeding offence was one of the cases that appeared at Aberdeen’s Justice of the Peace Court today.
Malik was pulled over at 12.42pm on June 24 last year when police officers in a speed van clocked him doing 89mph in the 70mph zone.
Malik said he told police officers he had Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and was in a rush to get home to Balmedie.
‘I really needed to go’
Addressing Justice of the Peace Phil Cropper, he said: “At the time when I got stopped I told the officer I had IBS. I really needed to go.
“It was right around the corner from my house and the officer was quite rude.
“At that time I told him I was not taking the points.
“I told him I had IBS and really needed to go to the toilet and that I would come back and deal with him later.
“I was in a lot of pain at the time and wanted to get home.”
Used Alex Ferguson’s famous defence
Mr Cropper told him: “It was clearly a very difficult circumstance for you – but you broke the law.”
Malik, of Eigie Crescent, Balmedie, was fined £170 fine and handed three penalty points.
Sir Alex Ferguson was cleared of illegally driving on a motorway hard shoulder in Greater Manchester in 1999 after he told a court he was rushing to get to a lavatory.
Magistrates agreed with the celebrity’s defence that it was an “emergency,” after hearing he had been suffering from severe diarrhoea at the time.
Oil worker could lose job
An oil worker who claims he has “addictive behaviours” has been caught speeding despite downsizing his car in a bid to make him drive slower.
Stephen Mundie, 55, is facing a driving ban after he was caught doing 83mph by average speed cameras on the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen road between Lower Powburn and East Mondynes on July 11 last year.
The oil and gas operations manager told the court he ignored the 70mph limit because his medication gives him “addictive behaviours”.
“I have an existing medical condition and the medication has addictive behaviours and that may have contributed to this.
“I have changed my car now. I did have a BMW which was a sports performance one at the time.
“I got rid of that after my last offence and got something less powerful so I would be less inclined to do that.”
He already has nine points on his licence so was about to be banned from the road, but made a last-minute plea to Justice of the Peace Phil Cropper claiming a ban could cost him his job.
Mundie, of Ravenscraig Road, instead had his sentencing deferred until later this month to allow him to seek legal advice and prepare formal mitigation.
Forgetful ‘idiot’ given fine and points
A supermarket worker and self-confessed “idiot” has been fined after being caught driving at 84mph on the A96 Aberdeen to Inverurie road near Kintore.
Logan MacDonald, 28, said he was “very forgetful” and so failed to pay the fixed penalty notice he was handed by police after being caught speeding on June 12 last year.
“It was just me being an idiot,” he said. “I was getting home from work and was just going a bit quicker than I was meaning to and got caught.”
He wound up in the dock after failing to pay his police-issued fine due to the court being closed and him forgetting to do it online.
MacDonald, of Fingask Place, Oldmeldrum, was fined £150 and given three penalty points.
‘Sore back’ excuse
A security guard who drove without a licence or L-plates because he had a sore back and couldn’t walk far has been banned from the road.
James Locke, 32, lost his licence after totting up too many points thanks to this latest conviction for driving without a valid licence and insurance.
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told the court Locke was caught driving at 12.25am on December 3 last year in Queens Road and Victoria Street in Aberdeen.
Locke said: “I was trying to get to my job and had a bit of a back problem and was struggling to walk. It was a stupid mistake. I am very sorry.”
Locke, of Wallfield Crescent, Aberdeen, was handed a £440 fine and six points, meaning he’ll be disqualified for six months.
Tyre fitter racks up too many points
Kieran Gordon was also banned from the road after totting up too many penalty points on his licence.
The 27-year-old tyre fitter was caught doing 50mph on the Lang Stracht and Westburn Road, where the limit is 30mph, on December 28 last year.
The dad-of-one, of Sclattie Place Aberdeen, already has nine penalty points so the four new ones imposed today, alongside a £230 fine, saw him banned from driving for six months.
Mechanic’s car had ‘weird grill’
A mechanic has been fined for driving his car without a number plate displayed on the front.
Danyal Mian, 27, told the court he couldn’t attach a registration place because he said it was a “weird car” that had a “weird grill”.
He argued he had since ordered a part to attach the plate after being pulled over by police near Forrit Brae, Aberdeen, on September 18 last year.
Mian, of Raeden Crescent, Aberdeen, was fined £130.
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