Two London men gave fake names to police officers after nearly smashing into their car at a Perth roundabout.
Police had to pump the brakes to avoid a collision at the Tulloch Road/ Wallace Crescent junction on Friday.
Abdalla Ali and Guiled Cumar appeared from custody at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted two charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The court heard 18-year-old Cumar was also caught with four blocks of cocaine.
Braked harshly
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said: “Both accused reside in England and don’t appear to have any connection to the Tayside area.
“This incident happened at about 10.50am.
“Constables were on patrol in a marked police vehicle.
“They saw a blue Ford Focus at the mini-roundabout.
“It seemed to approach at speed from the left, and failed to give way to the police vehicle.
“This caused the police constable to brake harshly to avoid a collision.”
Blue lights
Mr Harding told the court: “The police followed the Ford Focus and activated their blue lights.
“Initially the vehicle did stop, however it moved off again.
“After a short distance, it pulled over to the side of the road.”
Driver Ali gave his name as ‘Abdrirask Elmi’ with a date of birth of January 1993.
“Similar, Cumar gave false details to police,” said Mr Harding.
“Police carried out a check on these details, and the name did not match the driver.”
The court heard police recovered a black tin from Cumar, containing four white rocks.
“They tested positive for cocaine,” said Mr Harding.
“However, I do not have a value for them.”
Trip to Scotland
Ali, 28, of St Charles Square, London, further admitted driving without due care and attention, as well as a breach of bail.
Cumar, of London Road, Wembley, also pled guilty to possession of cocaine.
Solicitor Mike Tavendale said Ali thought there was “sufficient time” to pull out in front of the police car.
“It was very much at the lower end of the scale of this type of offence.
“Mr Ali simply panicked and gave a false name.
“He recognises what he did was quite silly and he asked me to tender his apologies to the court.”
Mr Tavendale said Cumar, who had joined Ali on a trip to Scotland to visit friends, had also panicked.
“He gave a false name because he knew he had drugs in his possession,” Mr Tavendale said.
“He tells me they were worth about £50.
“He realises now how stupid this was.”
Sheriff Francis Gill deferred sentence on both men until April 13.
“These were serious offences,” he said.
