Police had to use a stinger to stop a high-speed pursuit with a disqualified driver – who didn’t realise his car was stolen and linked to English drug dealing gangs.
Shaun Kilminster believed the police were trying to stop him because he was banned from driving, so took off at 90mph in a bid to lose them.
But the 23-year-old – who had just bought the Ford Focus in Dundee – “panicked” and refused to stop, even after the tyres had been punctured by a stinger device.
The chase, on the A90 at Fetteresso, near Stonehaven, was sparked when police spotted the vehicle and realised it was connected to drug dealing in Cheshire.
Accused ‘panicked’ when he saw police
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard Kilminster was on his way back to Aberdeen after buying the car in good faith, oblivious to the fact it had false plates, was stolen and had links to the drug trade.
When officers tried to pull it over Kilminster put his foot down and a chase was declared.
The court was told his vehicle reached speeds of 90mph before police used a stinger device to burst the tyres.
‘It was a stupid thing to do’
Even that did not immediately bring the pursuit to an end, but Kilminster eventually slowed down and officers caught up.
The car was searched but no drugs were found.
Kilminster pled guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance on February 16 this year.
Defence agent Alex Burn said his client had bought the vehicle in “good faith” and had no idea of its history.
He explained that when Kilminster saw the police behind him he “panicked”.
The lawyer added: “He realises it was a stupid thing to do.”
Sheriff Lesley Johnston fined Kilminster, of Redmoss Avenue, Aberdeen, £520 and banned him from driving for a year.
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