An 18-year-old driver tailgated an ambulance at 85mph on the A92 in Fife, then undertook it, because he was late for dinner.
At Dunfermline Sheriff Court, Harry Docherty apologised for his driving and said he was trying to get himself and his girlfriend to a restaurant before it closed.
The court heard the ambulance was responding to an emergency in Dunfermline city centre at the time and had its blue lights and sirens on.
Docherty, of Wedderburn Place, Dunfermline, appeared in the dock to plead guilty to driving his Honda car dangerously on February 1 this year at the Crossgates junction.
He admitted he drove at excessive speeds, failed to maintain adequate stopping distance with an ambulance responding to an emergency call, repeatedly failed to give way to the ambulance and overtook it on the inside lane.
He was banned for a year and fined £500.
85mph tailgate
Prosecutor Brogan Moffat told the court the ambulance, stationed at Cowdenbeath, responded to a call in the centre of Dunfermline at around 8.45pm.
Paramedics activated the blue lights and sirens and drove down a slip road onto the A92, where they noticed Docherty’s fast-moving vehicle approaching.
His car only slowed enough to allow the emergency vehicle out at the last second.
As the ambulance travelled along the right-hand lane, Docherty was seen to be driving behind, tailgating it.
The ambulance driver described Docherty’s vehicle being so close she could not see it in the wing mirrors, despite driving around 85mph at the time, the fiscal said.
When the ambulance neared the Dunfermline turn-off, Docherty moved to the inside lane and undertook it – despite blue lights and sirens still operating.
As Docherty pulled alongside the ambulance, which was indicating to take the exit, the driver sounded the horn to get him to pull back.
Docherty only stopped his manoeuvre and slowed down due to another vehicle in front which had slowed and pulled in to let the ambulance take the turn-off, the prosecutor said.
The paramedics noted the registration of Docherty’s vehicle and contacted police.
‘Sorry’
The court heard Docherty, a yard man at a builders’ merchant, has no previous convictions.
Representing himself in court, he said he obtained his driving licence in December 2023 – two months before the incident.
He said: “On that night I was taking my girlfriend… we were heading to a restaurant and wanted to make it there before it closed.
“I accept I done wrong. I’m sorry for that and I’m aware I should not have been driving in the manner I was driving.”
Sentencing, Sheriff Johnston told Docherty: “I take into account your young age and the fact you don’t have any previous record.
“However the offence is a serious one, as you appreciate, and aggravated by the fact this was an ambulance going about its necessary work in trying to come to the assistance of someone.
“You were making that job difficult as well as driving in a dangerous manner and endangering the public and yourself.”
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