Speeding pair drove at 117mph on killer road

Aug 26 2008 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

AN unmarked police car reached speeds of 117mph as it pursued two vehicles up the “killer” A9.

The high-speed chase, which lasted for more than three miles, took place in near-freezing temperatures and there were some patches of snow at the roadside.

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said that although the Crown had accepted guilty pleas to reduced charges of careless driving, the episode had been “very close” to the border of dangerous driving.

He fined Ryan Seaton (25), of Birks Cottage, Bridgend, Aberfeldy, £1000 and banned him from driving for 18 months.

Co-accused Gregor Forrest (19), of The Bothy, House of Menzies, Aberfeldy, was fined £750, disqualified for 12 months and ordered to resit his driving test.

Both pled guilty to driving at excessive speed for the road and the traffic conditions over a five-kilometre stretch of the A9, near Bankfoot, on January 6.

Seaton was driving a blue Honda Civic and was the front vehicle in the incident which took place just after midnight.

Forrest was travelling behind him in a Vauxhall Nova GSI.

Police were on mobile patrol in an unmarked car and had travelled along the Tullybelton-Stanley road, before stopping at the junction with the A9.

“As they did so, they observed two vehicles travelling northwards,” she added. “Both appeared to be travelling at excessive speed for the road conditions

“The vehicles were followed towards Bankfoot and at this time the speed of the police vehicle was between 90-100mph.”

As officers continued their pursuit, their speed increased to 116mph and then 117mph.

As the cars came up behind a slower moving vehicle, police illuminated their lights and the two offending vehicles pulled into a nearby lay-by.

Both denied they were racing

Asked why he had been travelling so fast, Forrest replied: “I just wanted to get home.”

The lawyer accepted that his client had given “no good reason” for travelling at that speed.

There was no prior arrangement for them to meet up. “They were both heading home at the same time,” he added.

Imposing the fines and the bans, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said they could have “created mayhem” travelling at these speeds.

And he told Seaton that at aged 25, if there had been an element of “boy racer” in him, he should have grown out of.