A former golf and ice hockey prodigy from Dundee who caused two drunken road smashes has narrowly escaped a prison sentence.
Callum Michie, 28, crashed his car into a taxi in Dundee before driving a van over a roundabout on the Kingsway a year later.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how Michie’s life had spiralled out of control following a serious road accident when he was 15.
On Monday Michie, a previous offender, was ordered to perform unpaid work and given a lengthy driving ban.
Sheriff Gregor Murray said: “I make it very clear to you that these two cases in combination pass the custodial threshold.
“I can just – and I emphasise just – see an alternative to custody in this case.”
Drug use triggered by friend’s death
Michie’s solicitor previously revealed how his client had a golfing scholarship in the United States as a youth and played ice hockey for Great Britain aged 12.
Ian Houston said Michie’s recent offending was triggered by the death of one of his best friends.
“I knew the deceased as a client and (he was) was a drug user,” Mr Houston said.
“I asked Mr Michie ‘did he by any chance get you into drugs?’ and he said yes.
“His family were dead against this friendship because he was a drug user.”
Mr Houston added: “He fully recognises the difficulty he is in.
“He is, to a large extent, aware of what he’s done and how wrong it was.
“He did also say to me that he is subject to interim disqualification and that was the best thing that happened to him.”
The charges
Strathmartine resident Michie pled guilty to driving an Opel Antara dangerously on March 30 last year on Clepington Road, Brantwood Avenue and Harlow Place.
He failed to give way and caused a collision with a taxi, before driving while the bonnet obscured his view.
Michie then drove into the path of another vehicle, which caused its driver to take evasive action.
The rogue driver then caused his vehicle to mount a pavement and collide with a gate.
Michie admitted driving while unfit through drink or drugs, as well as possessing cocaine.
On April 14 this year, Michie drove a van carelessly on the A90 Kingsway, at the roundabout with Old Glamis Road, by failing to moderate his speed and failing to keep a proper lookout.
He drove across the roundabout and collided with chevron boards.
Michie drove while unfit through drink or drugs and adopted an aggressive demeanour at police headquarters on West Bell Street.
Michie was ordered to perform 300 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for 40 months.
