A dangerous driver rammed off the road by police in Dundee has avoided a prison sentence despite prior warnings he faced jail.
Marley Williams, 22, from Dundee, had already been disqualified from driving on three separate occasions between 2017 and 2019 when police were forced to hit him to prevent further chaos during a high-speed pursuit through the city.
He had been told by Sheriff Robert More at an earlier appearance he would probably face a period behind bars but Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown instead placed him on a supervision order when he appeared for sentencing before her on Monday.
Instead of prison, he will be sent on a specialist behaviour improvement course in the Angus Glens.
Police chase
Williams was spotted and followed as he drove on the A90 Forfar to Dundee road shortly before 8pm on June 3.
He was travelling down the busy dual carriageway in his Vauxhall Vectra before becoming lost to police sight, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
Officers began a search of the carriageway and surrounding areas.
Around 20 minutes later, his car was spotted on Berwick Drive.
He accelerated at speed and police activated their blue lights, indicating to him to stop.
He continued to drive at 70mph in a 30mph zone, the court was told.
The chase continued through residential streets and at one point Williams “straddled” the carriageway on the A92 near Fairfield Road at 80mph.
‘Tactical contact’
Police decided it was too dangerous to continue the pursuit but could see the Vectra heading toward the Scott Fyffe roundabout, further down the road.
Williams lost control as he entered the roundabout and careered into a Fiat Doblo, causing a “debris cloud”, according to police.
Four men were seen running from the car and Williams appeared to be trying to reverse to get away.
One officer, named as PC Buick then made “tactical contact”, the court was told, to prevent Williams escaping.
The accused, following his arrest, was taken to Ninewells with “pain” in his ankle as a result of the crash.
The court was told he suffered soft tissue damage.
He admitted driving dangerously and while disqualified.
Sentencing
Sheriff Robert More praised the actions of a police officer, whose intervention he said prevented a tragedy.
Deferring sentence for reports in September, he said: “This was an appalling incident.
“There is little to separate it from a case where you might have caused a fatality.
“Be under no illusion, when you come back for sentencing the imposition of a custodial sentence will be there.”
However, on Monday, Sheriff Martin-Brown sentenced Williams to an 18-month supervision order, with 200 hours unpaid work and a requirement to attend the Venture Trust programme.
She said the outward bound-style course was as “alternative to custody” in light of his age.
