A man who threw a bottle and brick at vehicles on the A90 near Dundee then walked into the path of oncoming motorists has avoided a jail term.
Church volunteer Gavin Ross was told by a sheriff he was lucky that he or no-one else had been hurt in the “extremely dangerous” incident near the busy Tealing junction last November.
The 35-year-old claimed he could remember little about his actions having been under the influence of booze and cannabis.
Ross appeared for sentence at Forfar following the preparation of background reports which highlighted a brain injury he had suffered as a teenager after being knocked down by a lorry – an accident his lawyer said had left him with a “general anger” towards trucks.
The accused, of Dalziel Place, Tealing, previously admitted culpably and recklessly throwing various items at moving vehicles on the A90, stepping into the roadway and kicking out at vehicles whereby they were forced to take sudden evasive action, causing danger to other road users.
The court was told a driver at the Murroes junction saw Ross with a plastic bottle in his hand, gesturing to throw it at traffic, before launching it at a passing car and striking its offside.
Although the car did not stop, he then picked up a half brick and repeated the behaviour, hitting the offside of a lorry with it, but again the vehicle kept going.
An off-duty police inspector had also witnessed the incident and whilst police were on their way to the scene, Ross picked up a handful of gravel and threw it at passing cars from the central reservation before then ambling across the northbound carriageway, causing traffic to swerve, and then walking southwards towards Dundee.
Police discovered him around 400 metres south of the Murroes junction where the incidents had taken place.
Defence solicitor Nick Markowski said Ross realised his liberty was at risk because of the seriousness of matter and the potential consequences of his actions.
He said the serious accident Ross suffered as a teenager had left him with impaired reasoning, but on the day of the offence matters had been compounded by drugs and alcohol.
Mr Markowski added: “At the time of the incident he was consuming alcohol and cannabis. He is prescribed drugs and the medical advice is not to consume alcohol.
“He has a vague recollection of being angry and being on the dual carraigeway.”
The solicitor said Ross was now volunteering at Lochee Parish Church and gaining a lot from the experience in terms of using his time positively.
Sheriff Pino Di Emidio told Ross: “I think you appreciate your actions were extremely dangerous, as much to yourself and other people. It’s fortunate that no-one was actually hurt.”
As a direct alternative to prison, Ross was placed on a one-year Community Payback Order, with a supervision requirement and 120 hours of unpaid work.
