Latest news with #ToyotaAvensis
Press and Journal
3 days ago
- Press and Journal
Tain danger-driver who led police on 90mph chase jailed
A man has been jailed after leading police on a blue-light chase through Easter Ross. Alexander Burke sped away from officers between Alness and Evanton, reaching estimated speeds of up to 90mph. When he was traced and the car searched, a meat cleaver was found beside the driver's seat. Burke, 30, appeared before Sheriff Ian Cruickshank for sentencing, having previously pled guilty to charges of dangerous driving and having a meat cleaver in a public place. The court heard the incident began on the morning of July 5 2023, when Burke was spotted at the Asda store in Tain by an off-duty police officer, who was aware there was a warrant out for his arrest. He was driving a silver Toyota Avensis, and officers traced the owner, who confirmed this was the case. Police began to search for Burke on the A9 after being told he may be travelling to Perth. Then, around 11.30pm of the same day, they received notification that the vehicle had driven northbound over the Kessock Bridge, prompting officers to take up a position at the Alness Point junction in a marked police vehicle. Fiscal depute Emily Hood said: 'Shortly after, they observed a car matching the description of the accused's. 'The vehicle turned off the A9 at excessive speed and the officers followed, going in the direction of the Westford roundabout.' Officers lost sight of Burke's car but could see tail lights on the B817 so headed in that direction. 'At this point, the officers were travelling roughly 80mph, but the gap between them and the accused was not closing,' the fiscal depute said. The officers managed to confirm the vehicle registration as it slowed and turned onto the B9176. As the car headed towards Evanton, the officers followed behind and noted they were travelling at 83mph on a road limited to 60. Ms Hood said: 'The accused vehicle was seen to be travelling in the centre of the road, straddling the two carriageways whilst negotiating an s-bend and still at excessive speed.' The court heard that this stretch of road featured various warning signs for cyclists and residential properties. When officers activated blue lights for Burke to stop, he 'made off at speed, taking a left-hand bend at speed and then approaching the entrance to Evanton'. The speed limit reduced to 30mph, but officers estimated that Burke's car was travelling at 90mph. 'His vehicle was seen to hit a speed calming bump and leave the ground completely,' Ms Hood told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank. At this point, officers turned off their lights due to the risks posed and lost sight of the Toyota. They later spotted it again before Burke performed a u-turn in the road and once again disappeared. He was later traced and admitted he had been the driver. The vehicle was searched and officers found a meat cleaver between the driver's seat and centre console. 'The blade was pointing down and the handle was pointing upward – where it would be accessible to the driver,' Ms Hood explained. Solicitor David Patterson, for Burke, said his client had suffered from physical and mental health difficulties 'not assisted by consumption of alcohol' He said: 'These offences were not planned – he has impulsive behaviours 'He gets himself into situations, he panics and flight appears to be the preferable option.' Mr Patterson added that his client had expressed genuine remorse and appreciated the harm his actions could cause. Sheriff Ian Cruickshank told Burke: 'This was effectively dangerous driving carried out with the intention to evade the police officers who were in pursuit of you. 'I have heard you drove at grossly excessive speed up to 90mph – that included driving in this fashion in built-up areas. 'There is no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.' He jailed Burke, of Burgage Drive, Tain, for 18 months backdated to May 6 of this year and disqualified him from driving for 31 months.
Sunday World
5 days ago
- Sunday World
Grandad helped carry out Gary Carey shooting after mobster ‘fell foul' of drugs gang
Patrick 'Fishy' Fitzgerald (48) bought, fuelled up and later burnt out a getaway car used by the hit team A Dublin grandfather and lifelong criminal helped carry out the failed murder of Gary Carey after the target had 'fallen foul' of an international drugs gang. Patrick 'Fishy' Fitzgerald (48), of Glenties Park in Finglas, bought, fuelled up and later burnt out a getaway car used by the hit team that fired 10 shots at Carey outside a Ballyfermot home almost four years ago. The Central Criminal Court heard that the victim was targeted by a west Dublin gang involved in serious crimes 'up to and including murder' and died after a separate shooting the following year. His daughters today recalled the trauma of seeing the 'strongest man in the world' being carried away by first responders after the shooting and described how their lives have since been filled with 'fear and horror'. Earlier, prosecution counsel Ronan Kennedy SC took Detective Sergeant Ronan McDermott through the facts of the case. The court was told that at 7.30pm on November 17, 2021, Gary Carey (41) was and exiting a driveway on Ballyfermot Crescent in his Volkswagen Passat when his path was blocked by a black 07-D Opel Zafira carrying two occupants. Ten shots were fired at Carey through the windscreen of the car, striking him twice in the torso. He fled through a house and over the rear wall, hiding out in another garden until emergency services arrived. Patrick Fitzgerald He was rushed to hospital where one bullet was removed but another remained lodged in his torso because it was deemed too high risk to remove. He spent over a month in hospital being treated for 'significant internal damage' and fled to Spain after being discharged. The court was told that shortly after he returned home from Spain he was shot in June 2022 in a separate incident and passed away on August 5. The Opel Zafira was burnt out nearby on Ballyfermot Parade with two handguns recovered inside while a secondary getaway car, a gold 07-D Toyota Avensis, brought the hit team from the scene and was burnt out on Willow Park Crescent in Ballymun that night. Patrick 'Fishy' Fitzgerald and deceased drug lord Gary 'the Canary' Carey News in 90 Seconds - May 27th Det Sgt McDermott agreed that a 'painstaking investigation' was carried out involving the taking of witness statements and harvesting CCTV footage around the city. Gardaí established that in the days before the shooting the Opel Zafira was bought for €750 while the Toyota Avensis was sourced for €800. Gardaí connected Fitzgerald to the purchases through a phone used by him and he was also captured on CCTV driving the cars around Finglas in the week leading up to the shooting. Mr Kennedy also said the defendant was linked to a third car, a blue Audi A4, which had been bought for €500 exactly a month before the murder bid. This car was used when meeting with the legitimate sellers of the getaway cars and was described as the 'logistics vehicle used to execute the planning'. Gary Carey The court was also told that Fitzgerald fuelled up the Toyota Avensis the day before the gun attack and burnt it out within three hours of the shooting. Det Sgt McDermott agreed that the defendant was 'engaged in this operation by an organised criminal group based in the Ballyfermot and Clondalkin areas' which is involved in the large-scale importation of drugs both nationally and internationally as well as 'firearms offence up to and including murder'. He also said that Carey was a person known to gardaí who had 'fallen foul' of this criminal gang. The court was told Fitzgerald has 72 previous convictions dating to 1999 including aggravated burglary, false imprisonment, assault, theft and public order. He is currently serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence over a home invasion in south Dublin that he carried out while on bail for the attempted murder charge. Bernard Condon SC, defending, said his client had struggled with alcohol and drugs in his 20s and 30s but had rehabilitated over a decade ago. Mr Condon said a 'family issue' in 2020 caused 'some difficulty in his life' and resulted in him relapsing. He said his client is also a father of four children as well as a grandfather. In her victim impact statement, Carey's partner Nicola Doonan said: 'We had to move from our family home with our son and live separate lives for our own safety.' In a joint victim impact statement, Carey's daughters said their family had been left devastated ever since 'selfish people' chose to hurt their dad. They recalled the trauma of witnessing 'our dad, the strongest man in the world, being carried by police' and being unable to reach him. The court was told their lives now hold 'pain, fear and trauma' having once been full of 'joy, love, security and protection'. They added that they would carry anger, fear and horror for the rest of their lives, and that they hoped the justice system would recognise this. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said she would sentence the accused in July and remanded him in custody. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment.
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Harley-Davidson motorcyclist in hospital after rush hour crash on busy road
The crash between a Harley-Davidson and Renault Megane has left a 70-year-old motorcyclist in hospital. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A motorcyclist has been taken to hospital after being injured in a rush-hour crash in Stirling. The collision with a black Renault Megane happened on the A820 between Dunblane and Doune around 6pm on Monday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The motorcyclist has been taken to hospital after the rush hour incident. | John Devlin The motorcyclist, a 70-year-old man, was riding a blue Harley-Davidson at the time of the crash. READ MORE: Forest wildfire in the Scottish Highlands sparks major emergency response He was taken to Forth Valley Hospital for treatment, but his condition remains unknown. The driver of the Renault Megane was uninjured. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Police Scotland Constable Andrew Wood said: 'Our enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the crash are ongoing and we're appealing to anyone who witnessed what happened to please get in touch. 'We're particularly keen to speak to the driver of a blue Toyota Avensis estate, who we believe was in the area at the time. 'We would also ask anyone who was in the area around the time of the crash and has dash-cam footage to check their recordings, as they may have captured something that could assist our investigation.
The Courier
20-05-2025
- The Courier
Motorcyclist, 70, taken to hospital after crash between Dunblane and Doune
A motorcyclist has been taken to hospital after a crash between Dunblane and Doune. Emergency services were called to the A820 at around 6pm on Monday. The crash involved a black Renault Megane and a blue Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The 70-year-old male motorcyclist was taken to Forth Valley Hospital for treatment. The extent of his injuries has not been confirmed. The driver of the Renault Megane was uninjured. Constable Andrew Wood said: 'Our inquiries to establish the full circumstances of the crash are ongoing. 'We're appealing to anyone who witnessed what happened to please get in touch. 'We're particularly keen to speak to the driver of a blue Toyota Avensis estate, who we believe was in the area at the time. 'We would also ask anyone who was in the area around the time of the crash and has dashcam footage to check their recordings, as they may have captured something that could assist our investigation.' Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2778 of May 19.
STV News
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- STV News
Motorcyclist taken to hospital after rush-hour crash involving car
A motorcyclist has been taken to hospital following a crash involving a car in Stirling. Emergency services were called to the scene on the A820 between Dunblane and Doune at around 6pm on Monday. The incident involved a black Renault Megane and a blue Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Officers confirmed the motorcyclist, a 70-year-old man, was taken to Forth Valley Hospital for treatment. The driver of the Renault Megane was uninjured. Police Scotland is urging anyone with information regarding the crash to come forward. Constable Andrew Wood said: 'Our enquiries to establish the full circumstances of the crash are ongoing and we're appealing to anyone who witnessed what happened to please get in touch. 'We're particularly keen to speak to the driver of a blue Toyota Avensis estate, who we believe was in the area at the time. 'We would also ask anyone who was in the area around the time of the crash and has dash-cam footage to check their recordings, as they may have captured something that could assist our investigation. 'Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2778 of May 19, 2025.' 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
