Court hears of early hours car pursuit in Inverness
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POLICE were told to abandon a car chase on safety grounds when the vehicle they were pursuing left Inverness’s Southern Distributor Road and turned into a housing area.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard officers were monitoring traffic leaving the city’s Dow’s diner at 12.45am on June 30, having been made aware of the possibility of someone leaving in a car under the influence of drink.
Depute fiscal David Morton said they then followed Mark Ward as he turned on to Balloan Road then Sir Walter Scott Drive.
His vehicle was seen swerving from side to side and they indicated for him to stop only for Ward to speed away from them.
Officers were told to stop the pursuit as he entered the Culduthel area, but he was traced a short distance away by other officers.
He smelled strongly of alcohol and was taken into custody but refused a breath test.
Ward (38), of Eilean Donan Drive, Inverness, admitted driving dangerously at excessive speed and refusing to provide a sample of breath.
Sentence was deferred until November 21 and he was banned from driving meantime.
