A Polish driver who smashed into a family on a day out to Blair Drummond Safari Park was told he “probably shouldn’t be driving” before being handed a ban.
Thomas Smolira overtook a line of cars as it slowed at junction to the tourist attraction, hitting a Vauxhall Corsa as it turned right.
Despite ripping the bumper off the car, Smolira drove off, only stopping later to check the damage to his own Ford Kuga.
His defence agent said the 55-year-old was unaware of the correct procedure to follow after an accident.
“He had an error of judgment in attempting to overtake where he did, and he accepts that,” he said.
“He regrets not stopping. Given he’s a Polish national he was unaware of that requirement.”
She added Smolira had driven all over Scotland for his job as an electrician, indicating he was a “safe and competent driver”.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton told him: “I have some difficulty in thinking why you cannot understand that overtaking a queue of slow-moving traffic at a junction is careless.
“If you can’t understand that is careless, maybe you shouldn’t be driving.
“As far as failing to stop, you said you did stop but that was to check your own car.
“You saw it was damaged so you knew you had been in an accident but you didn’t report it because you didn’t think it was your fault.
“Now you are saying you weren’t aware of your responsibility to report. If you are not aware of your obligations, again, maybe you shouldn’t be driving.”
Smolira, of Culzean Drive, Newarthill, admitted driving carelessly on the A84 on June 9 last year and failing to stop after an accident.
Sheriff Hamilton disqualified him from driving for 18 months and fined him a total of £1180.
‘Fed up with bogus workmen’
A conman joiner who scammed people across Scotland with fake promises to build sheds and summer houses has been jailed by a sheriff who said: “The public is fed up with bogus workmen”.
Alistair Baxter, who ran AB Garden Building Limited, took money from more than 60 people by promising to build sheds and summer houses.
‘Designer clothing’ deliveries
A Banknock man who had tens of thousands of pounds worth of cannabis sent from North America by post under the guise of a Los Angeles Lakers basketball and designer clothing has been jailed.
Jack McGuire agreed to take delivery of multiple packages, which were intercepted by border control at Coventry and Berkshire, at his home address.
The court heard that after his home was raided by police, he told officers he had received letters informing him packages had been stopped but thought they were a scam.
An investigation of his WhatsApp account showed he had sent and received messages in relation to the shipments, as well as being sent a spreadsheet detailing cannabis purchases.
Experts estimate the street value of the cannabis could have been almost £68,000, while THC oil seized was valued at up to £25,000.
McGuire, of Cedar Road, admitted two charges of fraudulent evasion of a prohibition of controlled drugs between August and October 2023.
He further admitted two charges of being concerned in the supply of the drugs.
Not guilty pleas to a charge of possessing a knuckleduster and six charges of possessing various drugs were accepted by The Crown.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton sentenced the 36-year-old to three years imprisonment.
Prisoner death inquiry
The death of a paedophile rapist prisoner in hospital in Stirlingshire could have been avoided, a sheriff has ruled. After a fatal accident inquiry, the sheriff stated Peter Carter’s discharge from Forth Valley Hospital in June 2019, where he had arrived from Glenochil Prison, may have contributed to his death.
Police siege
A Cowie man sparked an hour-long police stand-off, in which he brandished a knife.
Eric Flaws gestured from the window of his property in Ochil View on December 9 last year.
Officers had been called to a disturbance at the address, along with reports Flaws had a knife.
During their time there, Flaws made threats of violence towards them and stated he had stabbed himself.
He was persuaded to throw the knife out the window but it was a further hour before he could be persuaded to leave the house.
Solicitor Virgil Crawford, defending, said Flaws had been intoxicated at the time of the incident and had no intention of harming police with the knife.
The 37-year-old admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner.
He was placed on a supervision order for 12 months, ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work and placed on a restriction of liberty order for six months.
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