Banned driver jailed after 20-mile police chase through Fife

A banned driver, who avoided a stinger device and other road blocks as he was chased through Fife by police, has been jailed.

He took short cuts over grass verges and drove on the hard shoulder as he was pursued on the A92 then the M90 on Tuesday night.

When Kristopher Christie headed into a residential area in Rosyth, police deliberately drove into his car to bring it spinning to a halt after his 20-mile joy ride, which started near Glenrothes.

Christie (23), of Scott Crescent, Alloa, appeared from custody at Dunfermline Sheriff Court

He admitted driving dangerously on 20th June on the A92 from between Balfarg and Cadham to the junction with the M90 at Dunfermline, on the M90 between Dunfermline and Rosyth and at the Admiralty roundabout in Rosyth.

He drove at excessive speeds in excessive of 90 mph in a 70mph limit, repeatedly crossed over the carriageway and changed lanes, drove around a stinger device, failed to give way at a roundabout, left the carriageway, drove across a chevroned area on the road, across a grass verge, directly on to the M90 without using the slip road, drove on the hard shoulder and overtook other road users on the inside, causing a police officer to take action to bring him to a halt by striking his car with a police vehicle.

Christie also admitted driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia said police had set up a speed check on Tuesday night and at 10.25pm they spotted a Nissan Almera driven by Christie over the speed limit.

He was followed by the officers who activated their blue lights and sirens but Christie continued to accelerate and failed to give way at a roundabout.

A pursuit was authorised and Christie was followed southbound on the A92. Between the Redhouse roundabout and Dunfermline junction his speeds rose to over 90mph and he was swerving from lane to lane to prevent the police from passing him.

An attempt to halt Christie’s vehicle on the A92 using a stinger device proved unsuccessful. A site was chosen near the Lochgelly junction and the device was deployed on the road.

“He swerved around it and continued at speeds of over 90mph,” said the depute.

Another attempt was made to stop Christie’s car at the Dunfermline junction but he avoided the roadblock by taking a detour on to a grass verge and cut on to the M90.

He then drove on the hard shoulder, speeding past vehicles on the inside.

Christie turned off at the Rosyth junction and as he headed into a built-up area, a police driver took action to bring him to a halt.

He collided with the back of Christie’s car causing it to spin to a stop and he was then detained, making no reply when cautioned and charged.

Sheriff Craig McSherry said it was the “worst piece of dangerous driving he had come across in some time”. He jailed Christie for ten months and banned him from driving for two years.