A PERTH mechanic who crashed into another car while road-testing a sports car and ended up in a ditch had six penalty points put on his licence at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday.

James Miller (55), of High Street, admitted that on April 26, at the Inveralmond roundabout at its junction with the city bypass, he drove carelessly, negotiated a roundabout at excessive speed, left the carriageway, collided with the central reservation and then a Nissan Almera, causing extensive damage to both vehicles.

He was also fined £275.

Depute fiscal John Malpass told the court that Miller was road-testing the Mazda sports car at around 9.40am when he was observed negotiating the Inveralmond roundabout at speed before losing control, going across the central reservation and striking the front of another car.

He then continued across the carriageway and the car eventually came to rest on its side in a ditch at the side of the road.

Miller works for Struans and the vehicle had been suffering from intermittent power loss, a fault he was checking out.

Representing himself in court, Miller said the car lost traction on the roundabout and he might have over-corrected that.

Miller is a senior mechanic with Struans and trains apprentices. A character reference from his employer was put before Sheriff Lindsay Foulis.