Drink driver banned after 140mph police chase in Fife

A salesman clocked one of the highest speeds recorded on a UK road by a drink driver when he led police on a chase at more than 140mph in Fife.

Cameron Alexander, 23, was nearly twice the alcohol limit when he forced officers to pursue him at dangerous speeds for around 30 minutes.

Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard he veered repeatedly across the road as he struggled to control his BMW 320.

Alexander, who admitted the offence, was banned for driving for 16 months.

During the pursuit on 27 December last year he went the wrong way round roundabouts, flew over speed bumps and raced through built-up areas.

Sheriff Steven Borthwick KC said: "It has just been pure good fortune that you didn't end up killing someone or killing yourself.

"Your dangerous driving involved you repeatedly driving in excess of 140 miles per hour and at over 60 miles per hour in built-up areas."

The court heard Alexander repeatedly failed to comply with police orders to stop.

And when he was first directed to pull over he drove away when officers left their vehicle to approach him.

Sheriff Borthwick added: "To make that worse you were over the limit for alcohol, nearly twice the limit at the time."

The sheriff said he had to consider a prison sentence, but stopped short of sending Alexander to jail because of his age and lack of previous convictions.

As well as the driving ban Alexander, from Kirkcaldy, was ordered to attend road traffic group work and told to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work.

He admitted drink driving on the A92 and other roads in Fife, as well as failing to stop for police near the Balfarg junction.

Alexander also admitted driving dangerously at speeds in excess of 140mph, at speeds over 60mph in built up areas, going the wrong way on a mini roundabout and driving erratically and recklessly and almost losing control of the vehicle on numerous occasions.

Fiscal depute Andrew Brown told the court officers were in a marked police vehicle, at about 02:50, when they spotted Alexander's white BMW passing them at speed.

He added: "They followed the vehicle due to the manner of driving and it appeared to be travelling in excess of the speed limit. It veered across the roadway several times."

But after Alexander stopped for officers he raced off at speed and continued northbound on the A92.

Mr Brown said the salesman was lost to sight several times because he was going so fast around the Falkland, Cupar and Glenrothes areas.

He was later clocked travelling south on the A92 at 140mph or more.

Mr Brown told the court: "He was carrying too much speed into a roundabout, mounted the hub and suffered a puncture to the front offside tyre.

"He went the wrong way round another roundabout and entered the centre of Glenrothes. The vehicle began to smoke due to the damage suffered."

Despite this Alexander failed to slow down for speed bumps or other traffic calming measures.

Officers lost sight of him again but he eventually had to stop the badly damaged car in Glenrothes and he was arrested at about 03:22.

Solicitor David Cranston, defending, told the court his client was "a hard-working young man with everything before him" until his arrest.

At the time of the incident he had been working as a salesman for four years.

But Mr Cranston added: "As a result of the shame brought about by this he didn't go back to work. He got in touch and told them he didn't feel he could go back.

"He is an anxious person who suffers from panic attacks. He accepts he had been drinking much earlier in the day."

On the night of his arrest he had been home and felt he was fit to drive after a sleep.

Mr Cranston said: "When police pulled him over he panicked.

"Almost immediately after speeding off he felt he had done the wrong thing, but felt committed to that course."