Elgin man crashed while overtaking a tractor on 'unfamiliar' road
Adam Richards, 55, appeared at Banff Sheriff Court on Wednesday where he admitted to driving carelessly on the B9025 Turriff to Aberchirder road on December 6 last year.
The court heard that Richards, driving a Range Rover Evoque, had been returning home at the time of the incident when he came across a tractor and attempted to overtake it and one other car.
The court was told he tried to carry out the move near a bend and blind summit on the road.
After hearing from his defence agent, Sheriff Robert McDonald endorsed his licence with nine penalty points.
Fiscal depute Anne Mann told the court the tractor, which had a trailer attached, was travelling at about 25mph at the time of the crash.
'The accused has moved in the opposing carriageway and commenced an overtake manoeuvre,' she said.
'And despite the tractor slowing to allow the accused to bring his vehicle back into the lane, the accused has failed to do so and has collided with the other vehicle.
'Emergency services attended.'
The driver of the other car, a Volkswagen Beetle, reported having pains in her chest. Her passenger had a laceration on his face which required to be glued.
Richards, of North Street in Elgin, also suffered cuts.
Richards' defence solicitor, Stuart Beveridge, said his client had provided both photographs and video footage of the road to explain how he fell foul. It included a drive-through of the route that Richards filmed himself.
Mr Beveridge said: 'He goes to overtake them and, unfortunately, because he was unaware of the dip, my lord, he doesn't get enough warning.
'He then has a split-second decision whether to break or go back in. He has misjudged the situation.'
He added Richards was 'embarrassed and ashamed' by the conviction and needed his car for work.
Sentencing him, Sheriff McDonald also fined Richards, who was described as being a project manager in his day job, £760.
He said: 'It seems to me that this is at the very high end of careless driving and I would have considered disqualifying you outright for this.
'Overtaking in the dark on a road you're not familiar with – and overtaking two vehicles when you don't know the road – it's a very foolish step.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Press and Journal
11 hours ago
- Press and Journal
Woman involved in Fraserburgh car crash had bottle of wine when police arrived
A Crimond woman who crashed her car while more than four times over the legal alcohol limit was found clutching an open bottle of wine when police arrived. Emma Thompson appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court where she lodged a guilty plea to a single charge of driving while under the influence. The court heard that she crashed her Peugeot 2008 near Fraserburgh's cemetery in the early hours of July 5 this year and, when police attended, the 36-year-old was in possession of a bottle which was open and partly consumed. She has now been banned from driving for 20 months. Fiscal depute Lydia Williams told the court that officers were alerted to a car crash on Cemetery Road in the Broch at about 1.19am and attended shortly after. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found Thompson readily admitting she had been behind the wheel. Ms Williams explained: 'At 1.25am police attended, they traced the accused, who was slurring her speech and still in possession of the bottle of wine. 'The bottle of wine was partly drunk and the cap was off the bottle. 'She was asked who was driving the vehicle at the relevant time and responded 'it was me'.' Thompson was thereafter taken to the local station, where the alcohol in her breath was analysed at a reading of 96 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is just 22 micrograms. Iain Jane, Thompson's defence solicitor, said his client wished to apologise for her actions on the night of the crash. 'She wishes for me to apologise to the court for her behaviour, she understands it's completely unacceptable,' he said. 'She understands how serious the matter is and she hopes that in some way that is reflected in the plea that has been tendered.' Mr Jane added that Thompson, of Logie Drive, had been going through 'a number' of personal issues at the time of the incident and was currently in receipt of Universal Credit. He said: 'She has previously had employment, but without a licence that's going to be difficult – and impossible – to return to at this moment in time.' Overseeing the hearing, Sheriff Alan Sinclair branded Thompson's conviction as 'very serious'. 'Ms Thompson, you'll be aware you're almost five times the limit,' he said. 'This also led to a collision. This is, accordingly, a very serious instance of this type of offending. 'I am, however, prepared to deal with the matter by way of disqualification and fine.' In addition to her ban – which she can reduce by one quarter by completing a drink-driving rehabilitation course – Thompson was told to pay back a fine of £420 at the rate of £50 per month.
Glasgow Times
21 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow creep used AI to create deepfake naked images of school pal
Callum Brooks, 25, altered two social media pictures posted by the woman on June 24 2022. Brooks used photoshop software to make the woman appear in a "state of undress" without her knowledge or consent. Brooks, of Glasgow's Easterhouse, claimed that there was "no sexual element" to his actions which was accepted by the Crown. The first offender stated that he carried out the crime to show what the software did. Brooks pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to disclosing a photograph of the woman in an intimate situation without her consent. The case is one of the first of its kind to appear in a Scottish court. The court heard that Brooks and the woman had been friends at high school and remained in contact on social media. Prior to the crime, Brooks obtained a software application which altered images using artificial intelligence (AI). Prosecutor Katie Malcolm said: "Brooks took two images from the woman's Instagram account which she uploaded online in which she was fully clothed. "Brooks then altered the images so that they showed the woman to be in a state of undress. "One was a full length image and the other was from the waist up. "Brooks then sent the images to two friends." The hearing was told that the woman "knew nothing" about the images. She was asked by one of Brooks' friends in February 2024 about her knowledge of the images which were shown to her. Miss Malcolm added: "She was immediately embarrassed and humiliated. "She confirmed that the images were lifelike and the matter was reported to the police." Brooks was arrested and told officers: "It was really just pettiness on the part of people - I know I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have done Photoshop." He stated that one of his friends requested the images while the other did not. READ NEXT: Teenager brutally stabbed boy in abdomen and groin during street confrontation READ NEXT: Police investigate after man collapses on West End road Gerry Devaney, defending, told the court that Brooks had fell out with one of his friends after the images had been sent. The lawyer added: "The friend drew the attention of the woman who was unaware of the situation and the friend showed it to her. "The intention was to show what the software did - it was fairly novel at the time and he took advantage which he much regrets. "There was no significant sexual element - this was the behaviour on the part of a boy towards people he thought were his friends and he has come to regret it." Sheriff Anna Reid fined Brooks £335.
STV News
a day ago
- STV News
Man created deepfake naked images of school friend using AI
A man used artificial intelligence to create deepfake naked images of his high school friend and shared them with people he knew. Callum Brooks, 25, altered two social media pictures posted by the woman on June 24, 2022. Brooks used photoshop software to make the woman appear in a 'state of undress' without her knowledge or consent. Brooks, of Glasgow's Easterhouse, claimed that there was 'no sexual element' to his actions which was accepted by the Crown. The first offender stated that he carried out the crime to show what the software did. Brooks pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to disclosing a photograph of the woman in an intimate situation without her consent. The case is one of the first of its kind to appear in a Scottish court. The court heard that Brooks and the woman had been friends at high school and remained in contact on social media. Prior to the crime, Brooks obtained a software application which altered images using artificial intelligence (AI). Prosecutor Katie Malcolm said: 'Brooks took two images from the woman's Instagram account which she uploaded online in which she was fully clothed. 'Brooks then altered the images so that they showed the woman to be in a state of undress. 'One was a full length image and the other was from the waist up. 'Brooks then sent the images to two friends.' The hearing was told that the woman 'knew nothing' about the images. She was asked by one of Brooks' friends in February 2024 about her knowledge of the images which were shown to her. Ms Malcolm added: 'She was immediately embarrassed and humiliated. 'She confirmed that the images were lifelike and the matter was reported to the police.' Brooks was arrested and told officers: 'It was really just pettiness on the part of people – I know I shouldn't have done that, I shouldn't have done Photoshop.' He stated that one of his friends requested the images while the other did not. Gerry Devaney, defending, told the court that Brooks had fell out with one of his friends after the images had been sent. The lawyer added: 'The friend drew the attention of the woman who was unaware of the situation and the friend showed it to her. 'The intention was to show what the software did – it was fairly novel at the time and he took advantage which he much regrets. 'There was no significant sexual element – this was the behaviour on the part of a boy towards people he thought were his friends and he has come to regret it.' Sheriff Anna Reid fined Brooks £335. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
