"Flying" A9 driver banned for a year
A dangerous driver who was clocked speeding on the A9 at 117mph was banned from driving for a year and ordered to resit an extended driving test.
Ullapool deep sea diver Andrew Ross had denied driving dangerously in his Subaru Impreza when he was clocked at Daviot driving past a series of junctions and a deceleration lane on January 31, 2011.
Sheriff Margaret Neilson at the trial ruled out defence arguments that the laser gun used by police could have been faulty.
She also ruled that despite the fact there was no traffic in the area and road conditions were dry the manner of Ross’s driving was dangerous.
Ross (35) from Morefield Place, Ullapool was also fined £1,200.
His solicitor said he would be able to pay the fine at £400 a month.
Police witness PC Graham Findlater was operating a speed gun from a BMW 4x4 patrol car through an open passenger window in an area of the road where he said at the trial there had been two fatalities in recent years.
He told Sheriff Margaret Neilson: "I was quite clear it was travelling well over the speed limit and in excess of 100mph but by how much I couldn’t say."
Questioned by solicitor for Ross, David Nicholson, he said had carried out checks on the laser gun that day to ensure it was operating properly and it was.
He said an alignment check of the speed gun was not carried out that day but his understanding was that didn’t have to be done and that they were carried out periodically - once a month on average.
PC William Dearness said the Subaru was "flying" when they saw it approach them on the A9.
He said the gun runs a series of ‘self checks’ before it could be used.
The court previously heard Ross had served a disqualification for careless driving in 2004 and had six penalty points on his licence at the time of the offence in 2011.
