A motorist who led police on a 100mph car chase through Moray has been ordered to play a round of golf every month as part of his sentence.
Amateur golfing champion Jake Scott sparked a high-speed pursuit in the early hours of January 18 last year after officers spotted him driving towards Buckie.
The talented Lossiemouth sportsman, who was high on cocaine at the time, was spared prison a month later – instead being given 300 hours of unpaid work and a two-year driving ban after pleading guilty to charges of driving under the influence and failing to stop for police.
However, the 24-year-old appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court again yesterday following a three-week spell in custody after breaching the rules of his community payback order.
Now Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov has imposed a new sentence – including a court order to play a round of golf at Moray Golf Club at least once a month.
Scott, who is a member of the Lossiemouth course, won the North Champion of Champions amateur golf competition in Nairn in 2017.
Yesterday defence solicitor Matthew O’Neill said his client had suffered from substance abuse issues in recent years.
He added: “He is not the Jake Scott that he expected to be when he was younger.”
Sheriff Pasportnikov, who has asked for documentation from club officials to ensure Scott plays golf, said: “It’s a shame to see talent go to waste.”
The sheriff also suggested the possibility of Scott, of Stotfield Road in Lossiemouth, passing on his skills to youngsters during his time at Moray Golf Club.
At the time of the original offence the motorist, who immediately apologised for his behaviour to police, told officers he had become “spooked” when blue lights were activated to pull him over due to him having taken cocaine earlier that day.
The chase continue on the A98 Buckie to Fochabers road with police eventually giving up near Arradoul due to them going 90mph but failing to catch him.
Scott’s new sentence also includes 250 hours of unpaid work and 18 months of supervision with a requirement to attend substance misuse counselling.
