A PLUMBER who crashed through the toll barrier at the Forth Road Bridge and ended up speeding down a cycle path was jailed for nearly a year when he appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday.

Ryan Coutts, from Aberdour, swerved from lane to lane, knocked a series of bollards over and drove so close to other vehicles that he could have hit them.

His escapade came to an end in North Queensferry when he pulled up near a hotel—by which time the van he was driving was so badly damaged, one of the tyres had come off its wheel.

Sheriff Craig McSherry said it was one of the worst cases of dangerous driving he had ever come across.

Coutts (29), of Murrell Terrace, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously on the A90 near South Queensferry, on the Forth Road Bridge and at North Queensferry, on November 16.

He admitted colliding with road furniture, swerving dangerously between lanes, forcing other drivers to take evasive action, crashing through a stop barrier at the bridge and driving along a cycle path.

He also pleaded guilty to two further charges of driving without insurance and of failing to turn up for a court appointment on June 16.

Depute fiscal Nicola Henderson told Sheriff McSherry the incident began at about 10pm on the day in question.

Witnesses travelling northwards in their car towards the Forth Road Bridge noticed a blue Volkswagen Caddy being driven by the accused.

It was extremely close behind them and was being driven erratically.

Miss Henderson said, “It was moving excessively about the roadway.”

The witnesses pulled over and let the Caddy past. Coutts then accelerated to an excessive speed.

The occupants of the vehicle were so concerned that they called the police.

Another witness could see the Caddy approaching rapidly in his rear-view mirror.

It came so close to the rear of his vehicle, the driver said he thought it may have made contact.

Coutts then drove into and knocked over several traffic cones and temporary barriers as the road narrow- ed.

“The accused made no attempt to slow down and the cones he had struck were scattered around the carriageway, forcing other drivers to take evasive action,” the depute fiscal said.

As Coutts approached the bridge one of the toll collectors heard a loud bang and screeching of tyres.

He looked up and saw Coutts driving in a lane that had been closed off.

He continued down the plaza at the South Queensferry end of the bridge and smashed through one of the barriers at the toll booths.

The CCTV operator at the bridge control centre trained his cameras on the Caddy and followed it across the bridge.

It could be seen slowing down suddenly before speeding off.

A motorist pulled into the bus stop at the Fife side and tried to flag Coutts down—but he carried on before veering left on to the pavement, where he clipped some bushes.

He then carried on at speed along the cycle path and turned off at the first exit.

Coutts eventually stopped near the entrance to a hotel in North Queensferry.

Some drivers who had followed him directed the police to the Caddy and Coutts was arrested.

He admitted he had been driving.

Sheriff McSherry heard Coutts was in full-time employment.

He could offer very little explanation for his actions but the court heard he had been drinking prior to the incident.

He was originally charged with five other charges, including drink driving, but his pleas of not guilty were accepted by the Crown.

Coutts’ solicitor Charlotte Ludgate said her client was very sorry for what had happened and realised the danger he had posed.

Sheriff McSherry told the accused, “This is one of the most serious cases of dangerous driving that has come before me.

“In the circumstances I feel I am left with no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.”

The sheriff jailed Coutts for 11 months and banned him from driving for five years.

He was also ordered to resit the driving test.