Banned driver reached 90mph on A82 through Dumbarton

Fahim Rahman drove dangerously along the A82 between Milton and the Lomondgate roundabout, and on the A813 between Lomondgate and the Braehead estate in Bonhill, during the evening rush hour on March 23.

The 24-year-old’s BMW didn’t stop until he collided on the Braehead estate with another vehicle carrying two children as passengers.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Friday that Rahman, who admitted charges of driving dangerously, while disqualified and without insurance, had been banned for two years and four months at Preston Magistrate’ Court in Lancashire last November.

For the latest offences, that ban was extended by a further five years – but he was spared a prison sentence.

Rahman appeared in court on Friday after pleading guilty to driving a motor vehicle dangerously and at grossly excessive speeds for the road conditions on the A82 and the A813.

Specifically, he admitted overtaking on the nearside on the westbound A82 near the Esso garage at Milton; ignoring a red light at the junction of the A82 and A814, and overtaking by dodging into the A814 slip road and rejoining the A82; driving at speeds of 90mph and above between there and Lomondgate; braking harshly near Dumbarton police office, causing a police car to collide with his BMW; repeatedly overtaking other road users on the nearside; and ignoring another red traffic light at the Lomondgate roundabout.

Then, on the A813, he carried out a number of unsafe overtakes; negotiated roundabouts at the Vale of Leven Industrial Estate and Nobleston at unsafe speeds; mounted a pavement on the Nobleston estate; forced several drivers to take evasive action to avoid collisions; and collided with parked vehicles and a moving vehicle at Braehead, while driving at “grossly excessive speed”.

Referring to the crash which finally brought Rahman’s rampage to an end, fiscal depute Gemma McKechnie said: “The car was driving at high speed towards a witness in the opposing carriageway.

“She had to apply the emergency brakes which resulted in the BMW colliding with a parked Ford and thereafter with another parked car.

“Thereafter there was a collision with the offside of the witness’s vehicle.

“There were two children in the witness’s vehicle. They were extremely shaken and crying, but uninjured.”

Rahman’s solicitor said: “Despite his lack of record, charges two and three merit a custodial sentence. He is under no illusions about that.

“Until very recently he has not come to the attention of the courts and has been a good, law-abiding citizen.”

Sheriff John Hamilton told Rahman: “You got a lengthy period of disqualification, and within a very short period you’re back in your car, with its personalised number plate, and you think it’s all fine.

“This is one of the worst courses of driving conduct that could be libelled on a summary complaint. It’s beyond belief.

“Given the seriousness of this matter you are extremely lucky not to be going to jail. But it will be the jail if you mess up.”

Rahman was handed a sentence of 200 hours’ unpaid work; a four-month home detention curfew; 12 months’ social work supervision; and a five-year driving ban.