A DRIVER taunted police by making rude hand gestures during a high-speed chase through Edinburgh, a court heard today.
Gary Ford reached speeds of up to 80mph on the streets of Leith, Portobello, and Duddingston before the chase ended in the grounds of the Royal Infirmary.
Ford, 42, described as a prisoner in Saughton, pleaded guilty in the city's sheriff court t
oday to a charge of dangerous driving on August 9 this year and to a charge of breach of the peace in a field at Damhead, Midlothian, on July 30.
Fiscal Depute, John Kirk, told Sheriff Kenneth Maciver there had been "considerable investigation into Ford's psychiatric well-being".
Dealing with the breach of the peace charge first, Mr Kirk said a farmer had been in his field when he was approached by Ford, who told him he had grown up in the area.
"The farmer was perhaps not best pleased the accused was there," said the Fiscal. Ford then went back to his car, began revving the engine and after shouting and swearing at the farmer, drove off.
At 9.20am on August 9, police officers were monitoring traffic in Salamander Street. Mr Kirk explained that there were roadworks in the area. A Land Rover type vehicle drove past, clearly in excess of the speed limit, said the Fiscal, and the officers followed with their lights and siren activated.
Travelling along Seafield Road at 70 mph, Ford overtook one vehicle and at times crossed over onto the other carriageway. He approached a roundabout at the junction with Portobello Road, where there were major roadworks, at 80mph, and after going round the roundabout twice, headed up towards Northfield Broadway. On this stretch of road at 70mph, he went on the wrong side of two traffic islands.
Going along the Broadway, Ford made rude gestures with his hand to the pursuing police.
The chase continued through Mountcastle onto Duddingston Road. Ford drove straight through the junction with Milton Road.
The Fiscal said that officers in a second police car, aware of the pursuit, had stopped traffic on the main road.
"That quick thinking may have averted an abrupt and perhaps tragic end to the chase" he added.
Again making rude gestures to the following police, Ford continued at speeds of up to 80mph until reaching Craigmillar Castle Road.
Mr Kirk pointed out this road was "quite narrow", but Ford's car was going at 60 mph. Ford failed to stop at the junction with Old Dalkeith Road and, travelling at 50 mph, drove through the grounds of the Royal Infirmary. There he stopped the car and was arrested. During the chase, Ford drove through four sets of red traffic lights.
Defence advocate, Drew McKenzie, said there was a psychiatric background in Ford's case.
"Clearly there are issues which require to be investigated" he told the Sheriff.
Sheriff Maciver deferred sentence to obtain psychiatric and social inquiry reports. There was no request for bail and Ford was remanded in custody.
