A speeding driver claimed he hurtled through Highland Perthshire at 109mph to rescue his wife from racist neighbours.
Hungarian Gary Smith told Perth Sheriff Court he motored down a 60mph limit stretch of the A9 after receiving a distressing call from his partner.
Smith’s wife told him she was under siege from aggressive locals at their house in Harthill, North Lanarkshire.
The court heard the couple had suffered racist abuse from neighbours to the extent they changed their name to Smith to try to fit in.
‘Fear of being attacked’
Painter and decorator Smith, 41, appeared in the dock and admitted speeding in a Toyota van on the A9 near Drumochter on July 22.
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said traffic police using a laser gun clocked him travelling at 109mph.
Solicitor Joseph MacPherson, defending, told the court: “He was driving home to his wife, who was in fear of being attacked.”
He explained: “Mr and Mrs Smith have suffered a long-running dispute with two of their neighbours.
“They changed their names to try and fit in with the community but to no avail.
“On this day in July, she was home alone when her neighbours came to her house.
“They were banging on the door and shouting to get inside.
“She was obviously terrified and phoned her husband.”
Mr MacPherson said: “Mr Smith realises that the correct course of action would have been to call 999.
“But at this time, he felt he should get back to his wife as quickly as possible.
“This was a misjudgement on his part.”
The court heard the Smiths have since moved to Aberlour.
Consequences
Sheriff Gillian Wade told Smith: “There is no doubt that you exceeded the speed limit by a significant amount.
“I regard this as at the higher end of speeding offences.”
She added: “The consequences of driving at this speed could have been much more serious.
“Instead of helping your wife, things could have been much worse if an accident had occurred.”
Smith was fined £600 and banned from driving for six months.
