Driver did a u-turn into path of vehicle

Apr 23 2009 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON man was this week fined for driving away after performing a u-turn on the town’s Low Waters Road and crashing into another vehicle.

Motor mechanic Jamie Gillespie, of Wellbrae Road, carried out the manoeuvre from a stationary position on September 11 last year.

He drove the Vauxhall Astra into the path of a black Fiat Punto being driven by Martin Cameron.

When Gillespie (25) appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week he admitted charges of careless driving, and failing to stop and give his details.

However, his not guilty plea to a charge of failing to report the accident was accepted.

The court heard that Mr Cameron had to swerve to avoid Gillespie’s car when he (Gillespie) carried out the u-turn.

His agent Charles Ferguson told Sheriff Joanna Johnston QC that Gillespie because of a “combination of the other driver’s speed and the slope of the hill” had seen nothing when he looked in his mirror before pulling out.

Gillespie had braked and heard a thud which he assumed had been caused by tools in the back of the car hitting the boot.

Mr Ferguson added: “He looked into his mirror and saw that the other car had kept going and he, perhaps based on wishful thinking, assumed there had been no damage and also kept going.”

The solicitor advocate said Gillespie did not dispute that the other vehicle had stopped, but added that his client had not seen it stop and continued to go on his business.

When stopped by the police, he said, Gillespie co-operated fully and told them he was the driver of the car.

While his vehicle had a number of scuffs on it, Gillespie thought they had been there before the incident.

Mr Ferguson asked Sheriff Joanna Johnston not to disqualify Gillespie and impose no more than six penalty points.

He said the accused was about to start a course to obtain an HGV licence and any more than six points would bar him.

It was also stressed that Gillespie needed a driving licence for work.

Sheriff Johnston told Gillespie that she considered the matter a serious one and he should have been aware that an accident had occurred.

She fined him a total of £260 and endorsed his licence with six penalty points.