A sheriff granted a man convicted of dangerous driving his Christmas wish by locking him up for the festive period.
Steven Cameron will await sentence from behind bars after pleading guilty to striking a police officer and colliding with a police vehicle in Forfar Road on June 2.
Despite being offered the chance of bail, Cameron refused and opted to be remanded in custody while reports are prepared.
He pleaded guilty to driving a car dangerously by reversing at excessive speed in close proximity to other vehicles before colliding with PC Peter Fraser and driving at excessive speed while exiting a garage forecourt, causing another vehicle to take evasive action.
Cameron also admitted colliding with a marked police vehicle, causing damage to both vehicles, driving at excessive speed in a damaged vehicle and driving without insurance.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard that police received intelligence about a car being driven without the relevant documentation.
Officers on patrol saw Cameron, of Uist Terrace, driving his car at excessive speed near Forfar Road.
Fiscal depute Joanne Smith said: “The accused continued to travel into Forfar Road and police saw the car stationary at a nearby service station.
“The police stopped and positioned their vehicle across the exit of the station.
“Constable Fraser got out of the car and shouted at the accused to stop.
“He reversed at speed before driving the car forward and around Constable Fraser, striking him with the offside front of the car.”
Constable Fraser was uninjured but Cameron drove out of the forecourt at speed causing another car to take evasive action.
Cameron drove off but his car was later traced, engulfed in flames in a field.
Solicitor Anika Jethwa said that the offence was “extremely serious” and that had not been lost on Cameron. So much so, he intended to spend the period allocated to obtain social work reports in custody.
Although warning him that custody is an option, Sheriff Alistair Carmichael said that Cameron could avoid a jail sentence pending the outcome of reports.
Cameron opted to be remanded and sentence was deferred until January 10 for social work reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment.
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