A man has been jailed after leading police on a car chase through one of Aberdeen’s most affluent neighbourhoods.
Chad Hodgkins, 30, appeared from custody at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and pled guilty to several charges – including dangerous driving.
The court heard that Hodgkins had driven through a no entry sign on Rubislaw Den South and led police officers on a chase through the suburb earlier this year.
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told the court that on August 11, Hodgkins had been seen by police officers on patrol at around 8pm on Springfield Road.
Realising that Hodgkins had breached his 7pm curfew the week before, they tried to pull him over.
Mr McMann said: “Instead of slowing down and stopping, he increased his speed.”
Police chase begins
The officers pursued Hodgkins, who was driving a white Ford Transit, towards Anderson Drive.
Mr McMann continued: “He mounted the curb on the central reservation and turned into Rubislaw Den South – through a ‘no entry’ sign.
“He continued driving up the road at speed. The police stood down the pursuit and they lost the car from view.”
A month later, on September 15, Hodgkins was spotted driving in Portsoy – after having been banned from the roads just two days before.
Hodgkins, of Campbell Crescent in Portsoy, was also found to be driving without insurance.
Hodgkin’s defence agent David Sutherland explained his client had been “unaware” that the driving ban had been put in place as soon after he left court and that this “impulsive” behaviour was not typical.
Sheriff Craig Findlater said he was “troubled”, particularly about his dangerous driving up a one-way road, which he said was in “a really busy part of Aberdeen”.
He said: “You were in breach of three bails. The only option is a custodial one.”
Sheriff Findlater sentenced Hodgkins to eight months in jail and disqualified him from driving for 15 months.
He will have to pass the extended driving test to get his licence back.
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