Crash driver who asked his partner to take the blame is jailed

A Fife man, who had been drinking in a pub, then drove through a residential area at high speed, lost control, crashed into parked cars, mounted a pavement and narrowly missed two joggers.

Graeme Robertson then drove off, parked his car outside his house, started drinking again and asked his partner to say she had been driving.

When police arrived at the house to investigate the crash, having been given Robertson’s registration number, the woman told them she had been driving at the time.

As a result, it was not Robertson but his partner who took a breath-test.

However, the deception has now resulted in Robertson (42), of Keirsbeath Court, Kingseat, receiving a jail sentence at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on 17th March in Bellyeoman Road and Robertson Road, Dunfermline , he drove dangerously, too close to the vehicle in front, drove at excessive speed, failed to keep his vehicle under control, caused it to collide with and damage two cars and left the carriageway.

On the same day at his home, knowing he had been the driver of the car involved in a collision in Robertson Road and that he had been consuming alcohol prior to this, with the intention of evading detection and prosecution for road traffic offences and in particular drink-driving, he induced his partner Eileen Bradford to state to the police she had been the driver.

He also stated to police that she had been the driver, causing them not to take a sample of his breath, he did this with intent to pervert the course of justice and he did pervert the course of justice.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf told the court that around 6pm a female driver became aware of Robertson’s car. She thought he was too close behind her and was concerned about the nature of his driving.

Two runners on a footpath then saw Robertson driving at excess speed with his engine revving. They later recalled both commenting at the time, ‘What an idiot’.

Robertson lost control on a bend, smashing into two cars, mounting the pavement and stopping a short distance from the runners.

“There was lots of noise and people came out into the street,” added Ms Yousaf.
Robertson drove home but his registration had been taken and police went to his home where the damaged car was parked outside.

“The spoke to the accused’s partner. She was extremely evasive but said she had been involved in an accident,” said the depute.

Two days later Robertson eventually went to Dunfermline police station to admit he had been driving.

He told police he had been drinking in the Seven Kings pub before driving and admitted, “I stupidly thought I could get away with it.”

The court heard Robertson had a previous conviction for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Sheriff Charles MacNair told Robertson, “This was the most appalling piece of driving at 50 mph in that area. It’s only by the greatest of good fortune that nobody was hurt.

“You then compounded this by your actions afterwards.”

Sheriff MacNair jailed Robertson for four months and banned him from driving for two years.