Dundee apprentice fears for career after 120mph Fife dash for flight

A Dundee engineering apprentice fears she may “lose what she has gained” in her career after she was caught driving at 120mph in Fife to catch a flight.

Lara Whitehall was clocked at nearly twice the speed limit on the A92 between the Bankhead and Redhouse roundabouts, near Kirkcaldy.

The 21-year-old is part of a graduate apprentice scheme but the town’s sheriff court heard the loss of her licence could have a “profound impact”.

‘Profound impact’

Fiscal depute Amy Robertson told the court: “At around 1.20pm on July 15, two police constables in a marked police vehicle using a speed detection device saw the accused’s white Audi A3 travelling at a speed of 120 miles an hour.

“The vehicle was stopped and the accused was found to be the driver and sole occupant.”

Ms Robertson said Whitehall received a police warning, before being shown the speed on the device. She was later cautioned and charged.

Solicitor Doug McConnell said his client is currently training to be an engineer.

“She has to travel for work – she goes to various sites all over Scotland.

“Her main office is in Grangemouth and she has an address in Dundee.

“She worries she may lose what she has gained. This will have a profound impact on her.

“She is keen to avoid disqualification but if my lord feels that is not in line with the charge then try to limit that.

“She understands what she did was wrong, there’s no excuse for it.

“She was trying to catch a flight at Edinburgh airport.

“This is a significant lesson for her.”

Banned and fined

Whitehall, of Bank Mill Road, Dundee, admitted speeding and Sheriff Mark Allan told her he had no option but to ban her from the roads.

He said: “The fact of the matter is on a road limited to 70mph you put at risk other road users.

“That kind of speed is such that disqualification is inevitable.”

He banned her for a year and fined her £300.

Two days after she was caught, Police Scotland used the case as an example of the many speeding incidents detected on the road in the recent days in a post on X.

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