4 days ago
Dundee motorist who tried to hit police with BMW jailed for five years
A profoundly deaf criminal who endangered the lives of two police officers by trying to hit them with a BMW in Dundee has been jailed for five years.
George Drinnan, 39, repeatedly tried to strike PCs Matthew Rhind and Younis Yaqub at Americanmuir Road on February 6 2023.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how, at the time, the repeat offender was disqualified from driving and had no insurance.
Drinnan – who was found guilty off the offences at proceedings at the High Court in Stirling earlier this year – appeared before judge Lady Tait on Friday.
She heard submissions from defence advocate George Gebbie, who told how his client's deafness will affect his ability to communicate with others while behind bars.
However, Lady Tait told Drinnan – who had the help of a British Sign Language interpreter to understand proceedings – he needed to go to prison for his crimes.
She said: 'The circumstances of these offences mean that the only appropriate sentence is a custodial one.
'The court must seek to deter such offending behaviour.'
Drinnan, from Dundee, was originally charged with attempted murder but was convicted of assault to danger of life following a trial.
At the start of the trial Drinnan's co-accused, 53-year-old Paul Coombs – also aided by a BSL interpreter – pled guilty to a dangerous driving offence committed during the same incident and driving without insurance and while disqualified.
He admitted reversing and striking a parked car, causing it to hit another vehicle, then driving at speed towards a parked police car.
Lady Tait previously banned Coombs from driving for a total of six years and imprisoned him for 18 months.
On Friday, the court heard Drinnan has previous convictions for dishonesty, driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.
Mr Gebbie told Lady Tait: 'He is unable to communicate with people who aren't skilled in sigh language.
'This will affect his ability to communicate with others, this will affect his ability to interact with others prisoners.'
Lady Tait also banned Drinnan from driving for seven years.
