Dingwall shellfish processor who tried to evade police during Strathpeffer Square incident while banned from driving learns fate

A shellfish processing worker who had been banned from driving for having drugs in his system three times last year was spotted by police driving his VW Passat last month.

Officers followed Adrian Ratajewski into Strathpeffer and tried to block his path in The Square on the afternoon of September 6, 2023.

However Inverness Sheriff Court heard that the 33-year-old of Achany Court, Dingwall tried to drive away by reversing aggressively in the proximity of pedestrians and struck a bollard before police stopped him from continuing his journey.

Sheriff Gary Aitken was shown dash-cam footage of the incident.

"You had better make sure when you get out of jail, you do not drive or you will go straight back in there." - Sheriff Gary Aitken

SEE ALSO: Man charged with drugs and traffic offence after Strathpeffer incident

Ratajewski admitted driving carelessly, while disqualified and without insurance. He was jailed for nine months, backdated to September 7 and banned from driving for three years.

His solicitor Marc Dickson told the court: "He can't give a rational explanation why he drove while disqualified."

Sheriff Aitken told Ratajewski: "Because of your record and flagrant disregard of a court order, there is no alternative to a custodial sentence.

"You had better make sure when you get out of jail, you do not drive or you will go straight back in there."