A serial boy racer led police on a high speed chase from which they eventually had to pull out because of the danger being posed to other road users.
Colin Simpson has been jailed for two years and banned from the road for five years after he admitted a third offence of driving dangerously.
Simpson was already banned when he was spotted at the wheel by police officers.
They initially pursued him but he was driving so fast on icy roads they were forced to give up.
Fiscal depute Gavin Letford told Dundee Sheriff Court: “It was clear he was driving dangerously and well in excess of the speed restrictions.
“Officers followed in the direction he was travelling and saw he was going at excessive speed on roads near Arbroath.
“His car was lost to sight.
“Due to the manner of driving, the road conditions and the circumstances, no further attempt was made to follow the vehicle and police stopped the pursuit.
“Checks were made and the registered keeper of the vehicle was found to be the accused’s partner.
“The accused was not traced at that time.”
Thought police were someone else
Simpson, a prisoner at Perth, admitted driving dangerously towards a police car which was partially blocking the road to stop him.
He admitted forcing the police car to take evasive action to avoid a collision, failing to stop and driving at excessive speed.
The 28-year-old also admitted driving while disqualified on various minor roads around Newbigging on January 7.
Solicitor Jane Caird, defending, said: “He fully accepts he should not have been driving.
“In his mind there was enough room to get round the police vehicle.”
She said Simpson had been involved in an incident earlier in the week and was concerned the people in the unmarked police car were related to that.
No reason for using vehicle
Miss Caird told the court Simpson had a history of motoring offences and “didn’t really have a reason for using the vehicle.”
Sheriff Richard MacFarlane said: “Your last two offences attracted prison sentences and that has proved to be no deterrent.
“There is no real explanation why you chose to use your partner’s vehicle.
“The roads you were driving on may have been tight roads with varying speed limits.
“You have the aggravating factor of icy road surfaces.
“You threw caution to the wind and compromised the safety of other road users.”
