'˜Shocking' driver banned from roads

Kieran Dowie’s driving was described as “shocking” by a sheriff after a trial heard he had been travelling at 90 mph in dark and wet conditions during the evening rush hour.

Dowie (20), who has a previous conviction for driving at 98mph, performed an illegal undertaking manoeuvre shortly before smashing into the woman’s car, later admitting he had not seen her.

Dowie, of Aitken Road, Glenrothes, was found guilty of dangerous driving after trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

On November 30 last year, on the A92 westbound, he drove dangerously, drove at excessive speed, undertook a vehicle, failed to leave sufficient distance between his car and the one on front, changed lanes abruptly, causing a collision which resulted in injury to the driver of that vehicle.

Lesley Muller (47), told the court she was driving home in her Kia Picanto after work just before 6pm.

It was a dark night and the road was wet, she recalled. When the car in front of her braked, she braked as well and cut into the inside lane after checking it was safe to do so.

In her rear mirror, she could see the headlights of a car well behind her which initially appeared as “two small dots.”

“Then the whole car just seemed to light up and I could see it wasn’t going to stop so I just grabbed the wheel.”

In the collision her car was spun around and was left facing on-coming traffic. Ms Muller sustained a bad cut to her head and was taken to Victoria Hospital for treatment.

The court heard evidence from another motorist who said he saw Dowie driving at 90mph shortly before the accident and another driver said Dowie passed him in the inside lane, in an illegal manoeuvre.

PC Sebastian Milne (47), a traffic police officer, attended the accident scene.

He said Dowie had told him: “I couldn’t tell what was ahead so I wouldn’t say it was my fault.”

The officer said: “He didn’t seem to accept any responsibility for the accident.”

Dowie told the court he was not driving over the 70mph speed limit.

“I didn’t know there was a Kia Picanto on the road until it braked in front of me,” he said.

He said he was travelling at 40/50mph when the collision occurred. He had tried to swerve off the road to avoid the collision.

Dowie said he could not remember the undertaking manoeuvre other witnesses had seen.

Sheriff James Williamson found Dowie guilty of dangerous driving and said he took a dim view of his “evasive” answers during the trial.

The sheriff was then told Dowie had other previous traffic convictions including for speeding at 98mph.

The sheriff told defence solicitor Sarah Meehan: “What I found quite alarming was his attitude which was cold, arrogant, aloof. He presents as a danger to other road users.”

The sheriff told Dowie: “Your driving on that evening was shocking. Your record for someone your age is absolutely dreadful.

“The A92 is a dangerous road at the best of times. It’s polluted with people who tail-gate.”

He called for reports and Dowie will be sentenced on July 19 at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court. The sheriff imposed an interim driving ban with immediate effect.