Drug-driver led police on high-speed chase through Perth city centre

A drug-driver gave police the run-around during a high speed chase in Perth city centre.

Ryan Nicoll had more than three times the permitted limit of cocaine in his system as he tried to evade pursuing officers down multiple streets.

At one point, the 22-year-old managed to give them the slip, before being spotted backing into a parking space behind a police vehicle.

When eventually caught, Nicoll, of Hatton Road, Rattray, said: “I’ve f***ed up.”

He appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted dangerous driving and being behind the wheel with drugs in his system on May 25 last year.

City centre pursuit

The chase happened in an area of the city covered by a blanket 20mph limit.

Prosecutor Stuart Duncan said officers were on a routine patrol in a marked car on Atholl Street when they spotted Nicoll’s Audi in the opposite lane.

“They had reason to stop the vehicle,” he said.

“They activated their blue lights and began to turn towards the accused, as he turned down Rose Terrace.

“Police noted that he was travelling in excess of the speed limit.”

Officers followed the car but when they turned a corner he was nowhere to be seen.

Mr Duncan said: “They then spotted him reversing into a parking space.

“Officers reversed and turned around as the accused drove off again towards Atholl Street.

“He failed to comply with a red light, before turning left onto Rose Street.

“Eventually the vehicle came to a stop.”

The court heard Nicoll profusely apologised.

A roadside drugs wipe tested positive for cocaine, with a reading of 166 mics of Benzoylecgonine per litre of blood. The permitted limit is 50 mics.

Alternative to prison

Nicoll pled guilty to dangerous driving grossly in excess of the speed limit, accelerating away from a police van with its sirens and lights activated, failing to stop for police officers and failing to comply with a red light.

Solicitor Steve Lafferty, defending, said: “What he said to police summed up his attitude.

“He knows that he messed up but he now has a handle on things and he is off the drugs.”

Sheriff Jennifer Bain told Nicoll: “You are a first offender and you have taken steps to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.

“Those steps have included moving away from negative peer influences and becoming abstinent from illicit substance use.

“I am minded to impose a community payback order upon you, as an alternative to custody.”

Nicoll was ordered to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and placed on supervision for a year.

He was disqualified from driving for 19 months.

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