An Aberdeen man has avoided a prison sentence after a “shocking” episode of dangerous driving.
Kyle Buchan admitted driving his Vauxhall Astra into a traffic light and going in the wrong direction up a one-way street while under the influence of drink or drugs.
The 24-year-old drove his car on a number of occasions while incapacitated.
He was also found by police asleep in his vehicle on the A92 with the engine still running.
As Buchan appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, a sheriff described his actions as a “shocking catalogue of offending behaviour”.
Witnesses heard ‘loud bang’
Fiscal Jane Spark told the court that at around 11:20am on April 10 2021, Buchan was seen by motorists driving at excessive speed and veering between lanes on Aberdeen Esplanade.
He was later spotted by other drivers on the city’s Ellon Road – continuing to drive at high speed and repeatedly striking the kerb.
Witnesses on King Street heard a loud bang while others saw Buchan’s vehicle spinning across a road junction, where it collided with a traffic signal and damaged it.
On January 3 2022, police officers answered a call to the A92 Parkway, Bridge of Don, where they found Buchan’s car parked with the engine still running.
He was slumped and appeared to be asleep in the driver’s seat, the court was told.
When the officers woke him, they noticed he was slurring his speech and was “clearly unsteady on his feet”, Ms Spark explained.
On a third occasion, Buchan was captured on CCTV driving his car in the wrong direction up a one-way street before blindly driving straight through a busy junction.
Buchan pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous driving and a second charge of careless driving.
He also admitted further charges of being in charge of a motor vehicle while unfit to drive due to drink or drugs and breaching a bail condition.
Buchan ‘had substance abuse issues’
Buchan’s defence agent Neil McRobert told the court that the sequence of events was “concerning”.
He added: “Mr Buchan was going through an extremely difficult time with his mental health and had substance abuse issues.
“He was in a particularly bad way, but he now seems to have moved on from this and appears to be doing very well. Mr Buchan has turned his life around.”
Sheriff William Summers told Buchan: “I recognise that you appear today with no previous convictions, but I also need to take account of the seriousness of these charges.
“It is a shocking catalogue of offending behaviour – these incidents occurred not once, not twice, but on three separate occasions.
“It’s quite clear that there is no other alternative to the court than a significant disqualification as this was a quite shocking episode of dangerous driving.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Summers imposed a community payback order on Buchan with 18 months of supervision.
He also ordered Buchan to carry out 205 hours of unpaid work.
Buchan, of Sheddocksley Drive in Aberdeen, was also disqualified from driving for three years.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
