Driver banned over A94 collision

Oct 13 2009

A TELECOMS engineer who travels some 25,000 miles a year failed to persuade a Perth sheriff that he should not be banned from driving after he caused a crash on the A94 Coupar Angus-Meigle road.

Brian Gleghorn, (36), Aberdeen, had originally been charged with dangerous driving but, at Perth Sheriff Court, the Crown accepted a reduced charge of careless driving, in which Gleghorn had collided with a car making a right turn manoeuvre at the Camno junction of the A94 on the afternoon of May 12.

Depute fiscal Stuart Richardson told the court that Gleghorn was driving his VW Passat at the back of a line of traffic, which slowed down.

He could not see any reason for the deceleration and tried to overtake three vehicles in front of him, but what he did not realise was that the traffic had slowed down because the leading car was making a right turn onto a minor road.

Gleghorn was unable to avoid colliding with the other car, resulting in a crash which extensively damaged both vehicles. The driver of the other car had to be cut free and both he and his passenger were rushed to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, although no serious injuries were sustained.

Solicitor Jamie Baxter said Gleghorn’s job extended from Perth to the north of Scotland.

Sheriff McCreadie took the view that Gleghorn’s degree of ‘careless’ driving warranted a driving ban.

“This was a very poor exercise of judgement. It was obvious caution should have been applied,” he said before imposing a six-month driving ban and a £300 fine.