A sheriff has slammed the “cock and bull” stories made up by a driver to excuse a crash which caused his passenger to suffer a broken leg.
John Tough veered off the A90 Forfar Road southbound roundabout on November 3 2019.
He first claimed someone else was driving, then said the brakes had been tampered with.
A jury at Dundee Sheriff Court dismissed Tough’s version of events and found him guilty of causing Michelle Carnegie serious injury through dangerous driving.
He was convicted of failing to slow down, failing to negotiate the roundabout, causing the car to leave the roundabout, collide with a tree and cause Ms Carnegie to suffer a broken leg.
Tough, of Glenogil Terrace, Forfar, who has multiple previous convictions, was also found guilty of driving with a revoked licence and without insurance.
‘Cock and bull’ story
Solicitor Brian Bell said Tough suffered from a number of physical and mental health difficulties and expressed “regret” about the incident.
Sheriff Grant McCulloch was unimpressed with Tough’s versions of events, saying: “He is trying to deflect.
“He never mentioned before the jury that the brakes must have been cut prior to him driving the vehicle.”
Addressing Tough directly, the sheriff said: “Your driving, for whatever reason, caused significant, serious injury to your passenger.
“You then made up this cock and bull story about it to say a third person was the driver and you take that right up to the trial.
“There are, however, mitigating factors which include your own health and the fact it has been 16 years since you were last in custody.”
Tough was placed on a restriction of liberty order designed to keep him indoors between 8pm and 7am for 12 months.
He was also disqualified from driving for five years and fined £400.
