News / ‘Classic case of road rage’
A MECHANIC from Wishaw who drove excessively close to another vehicle before overtaking it and making threats to its driver in a bout of “road rage” has avoided being disqualified.
Ross Murdoch, of Brooklyn Place, was instead fined £750 and given six penalty points at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Thursday.
The 30 year old admitted driving a van in a careless manner on Lerwick’s Holmsgarth Road on 26 November 2014.
The mechanic drove excessively close to the preceding vehicle, overtook it and then broke harshly, bringing the other vehicle to halt.
Murdoch also pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and making threats.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the incident was a “bad piece of driving and a classic case of road rage”.
He said Murdoch was frustrated by the speed of the vehicle in front of him. After overtaking the vehicle, the 30 year old threatened to assault the other driver.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said “red mist” descended on his client because the preceding vehicle was frequently braking on a clear road.
Murdoch, a former youth footballer for Dundee United and Raith Rovers, made “empty threats” that were delivered in the “heat of the moment”, he added.
Having three points on his licence already, Sheriff Philip Mann could have disqualified him through a totting up process.
However, the sheriff gave Murdoch six points to allow him to be able to attain employment and fined him a total of £750.
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