Lochalsh-based Police Scotland officer fined £375 at Inverness Sheriff Court and had six penalty points placed on his driving licence after near miss on A87
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A POLICE constable had to take evasive action to avoid a head-on collision as he drove to intercept another vehicle.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that 48-year-old David Mockett was on duty in a marked police car when he decided to pull over another driver to give him a warning for an unspecified incident.
But as the father of three was heading towards the entrance to Kyle of Lochalsh along a 300 metre stretch of road which bends to the right, he overtook another car and crossed double white lines.
Fiscal depute Niall Macdonald then said Mockett entered a downhill gradient.
“A member of the public was driving in the opposite direction and the upshot was that the police vehicle had to return to his side of the road quickly which narrowly avoided a collision with the front of the oncoming vehicle," explained Mr Macdonald.
“The manoeuvre was filmed and there was a police investigation into the matter,” Mr Macdonald went on.
Defence solicitor John MacColl said that his client was a late entrant to the police, had two years service and lives in a rural location near to Kyle.
Mockett’s address was given as care of Portree Police Office.
Mr MacColl added: “An offending vehicle came to his attention and his intention was to stop the driver and give him a warning.
“The distance of the downhill gradient is deceptive as it looks longer and he thought it was alright to overtake. But it was not.
“He accepts it is driving which falls short of a competent driver. He is subject to the usual Police Scotland disciplinary proceedings and it is hoped that he can continue with his career.
“He accepts he has let himself and Police Scotland down and his plea comes at an early stage," he added.
Mockett was originally charged with dangerous driving on the A87 at Kyle of Lochalsh on October 7, 2019.
However he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving. Sheriff Gary Aitken fined Mockett £375 and endorsed his previously clean driving licence with six penalty points.
