Driver tried to hide from police

AN uninsured and unlicensed driver, who had been drinking, tried to evade police by hiding behind a bush in his neighbour’s garden.

John Simpson (30), Camore Gardens, Dornoch, was seen drinking in the town’s Eagle Hotel on Sunday and then driving away.

But a member of the public tipped off police who went in search of him after watching CCTV footage showing him getting into his car and driving down Castle Street.

Prosecutor Roderick Urquhart told Tain Sheriff Court: “Officers found the car a very short distance from the home of the accused’s father at Camore Gardens. There were two opened cans of beer in the vehicle.

“The accused was spotted apparently hiding behind a bush in a neighbour’s garden. He was lying down but could still be seen.”

Simpson was taken into custody and breath tests showed him to have 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The limit is 22 in 100.

It also emerged that he had no insurance for the vehicle and had driven the car with a provisional licence only but with no co-driver or L plates.

The court was told Simpson had had 18 driving lessons and had bought the vehicle he was driving in the hope that he would pass his test but had failed to do so.

Simpson appeared from custody at Monday’s court to admit drink-driving, driving with no insurance and without a full licence.

Defence agent Roger Webb said Simpson normally lived in Liverpool and worked as a labourer for a bricklayer. But he had moved north to live with his father after sustaining a knee injury at work.

The lawyer said: “He is a young man who has a patchy record that is mostly ancient and I would ask My Lord to consider dealing with this by a fine.”

But Sheriff Christopher Dickson deferred sentence until April 29 for Criminal Justice social work reports. He disqualified Simpson from holding or obtaining a driving licence in the meantime.

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