A 17-year-old faces charges after a dangerous driving spree in Inverness and Moray, endangering police and civilians. He is being held in custody.
The 17-year-old was 16 during the offenses, which happened on March 10 and 11 last year. The court cannot name him. He admitted to dangerous driving and assault.
Sheriff Gary Aitken warned the teenager that detention is very likely. The court held the young person in custody and scheduled his next hearing for March 16, pending a background report.
The sheriff questioned why the teenager was in Inverness so early, given that he lived over one hundred miles away. He told the teen he should not be free and lacked consideration for everyone else.
Emily Hood described the events, noting police noticed him speeding in Lombard Street, Inverness, around 12:20 AM on March 10. He failed to stop for police officers and drove right toward constables, causing two officers to jump aside as he gave them the middle finger.
He then swerved toward another officer, who jumped behind bollards to avoid being hit. CCTV showed the silver Subaru driving along Academy Street before police found it on Clachnaharry Road, where it sped off again. Police did not authorize a pursuit.
Around 11 PM, they found him in Merkinch. His car struck another car in Kessock Avenue, and the people in the other car followed him. He drove up Pumpgate Street the wrong way, and someone took a photo of him before he drove toward her. Her partner pulled her aside.
He hit their vehicle head-on, causing it to strike a parking sign and drive onto the pavement. He then drove around their damaged car.
An off-duty police officer saw the Subaru at the Esso garage at the Longman about thirty minutes later. A police car parked in front of him to stop him, but he reversed out of the forecourt fast and sped off down the A96.
The court heard that he was in Moray about 75 minutes later. Then at 2:10 AM, he was in Keith, driving fast in the wrong lane and endangering other drivers.
Witnesses saw him at 2:35 AM driving on a small road at Whitehill near Keith. The Subaru drove toward their car fast and hit the back of their car. The witnesses called the police.
At 6:40 AM, police received a call about the car being in Grampian Road near Elgin, abandoned in the road and blocking traffic. Police found him asleep inside, sitting in the driver’s seat, and arrested him.
