A dangerous driver has been locked up after leading police on a 100mph chase before turning his lights off and disappearing into the night.
Ciaran Howcroft sped off at high speed with his tyres screeching when police tried to pull him over in Inverurie.
Officers gave chase and the terrifying pursuit topped 100mph in a 60mph zone, with the 22-year-old dangerously undertaking and overtaking other vehicles.
Police eventually had to abandon the pursuit on safety grounds when Howcroft switched off the vehicle’s lights and sped off into the darkness.
Fiscal depute Nicole Lewis told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 11pm on January 28 this year.
‘He found solace in cars’
She said: “Police tried to stop the vehicle and at this point, they noted it harshly accelerates away with tyres screeching.”
Police gave chase and noted Howcroft to be driving in excess of 100mph in an area with a limit of 60mph on the A96 Inverurie to Aberdeen road.
He also performed an undertake and an unsafe overtake, forcing an oncoming driver to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision.
Howcroft continued driving at excess speed and switched off the car’s headlights.
It was at this point police concluded it was too dangerous to continue the chase.
But checks revealed Howcroft was disqualified from driving and he was later traced and arrested.
‘Give him a chance’
Howcroft, of Thrum Gardens, Kirriemuir, pled guilty to dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
Defence agent Billy Watt said his client had come to the attention of the courts recently, adding: “There’s been a series of these types of offences.”
Mr Watt went on: “He’s had quite a turbulent times in recent years.
“He found solace in cars and working as a mechanic.”
The solicitor asked Sheriff Ian Anderson to “give him a chance” and impose a curfew order.
But Sheriff Anderson said: “It seems to me there’s no option but custody in the circumstances.”
He ordered Howcroft to be jailed for six months and banned him from driving for a year.
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