A motorcyclist hit speeds of up to 150mph as he sped away from police who tried to stop him for having no insurance.
Officers activated blue lights and sirens when a check of the police national computer revealed that the 600cc machine Ethan Schiller was riding was not covered.
But the biker accelerated away, twice losing police cars as he made his high-speed getaway.
Schiller, 20, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit dangerous driving and driving without insurance in relation to the incident at around 5pm on September 3 of last year.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke told the court that the bike – which has a top speed of around 160mph – had been registered to Schiller’s one-time girlfriend.
She said: “She purchased it on his behalf, to prevent his mother from finding out because she did not like motorcycles.”
Ms Poke said police, who had been called to an unrelated incident on the A835 east of Garve, spotted the Yamaha R6 in front of them.
A check of the police national computer revealed that the bike was not insured and was registered to the woman.
Blue lights and sirens
“The police witness activated blue lights and sirens to indicate for it to stop,” said Ms Poke.
It was at this point that officers saw the motorcycle accelerate and begin to overtake the vehicles in front of it, causing them to lose sight of it.
They alerted other officers in the area and, at around 5.30pm, the bike was spotted again, travelling at speeds of 90 to 100mph.
Schiller then accelerated and continued travelling eastbound towards Maryburgh roundabout.
The vehicle was last seen overtaking through heavy traffic heading east towards Conon Bridge crossroads.
Officers visited the address of the registered keeper, Schiller’s girlfriend, who was initially reluctant to cooperate. Her stepfather, however, volunteered that she had bought the bike for Schiller to use and provided a mobile number for him.
After a phone call, Schiller agreed to meet officers at 9pm at shops on Assynt Road in Kinmylies.
When he arrived he was cautioned and charged before being taken to Burnett Road police station for an interview.
Biker admits going ‘140 to 150’
“When asked about the manner of driving police officers directly asked how fast he was going,” said Ms Poke
He told officers: “I can’t remember exactly, 140 to 150 maybe.”
He explained that he was probably doing around 150mph as he overtook other vehicles.
“He did also indicate to the officers that he fully regretted his actions and shouldn’t have bought the bike,” the fiscal depute concluded.
Schiller told police: “The bottom line is, I shouldn’t have taken the bike.”
Solicitor Graham Mann, for Schiller, called the incident a “string of foolish decisions” and added: “He appears genuinely remorseful for what he has done.”
‘You have been completely open and honest and candid’
He said his client had accelerated harshly in order to pass other vehicles but conceded: “It is to be accepted that when you are travelling at that speed, the dangers that are present cannot be overstated.”
He said Schiller had since had his licence revoked due to an issue with his eyesight, which meant he may never again be able to meet the requirements to hold a driving licence.
Handing down a fine of £1,125 along with an 18-month roads ban, Sheriff David Mackie told Schiller, of Brudes Hill, Inverness: “I take account of the fact that you have been completely open and honest and candid.
“The recorded speed was 90 to 100 miles an hour. You were completely honest yourself in that you knew you had been going at faster speeds.”
Schiller will need to sit and pass the extended test in order to be allowed back on the roads.
