‘Appalling’ driving Greenock PC boasted of ‘flying’

Gary O’Neill — who had NO high speed training — left a passenger colleague ‘visibly shaken’ in the wake of the terrifying journey from the police station to Inverkip.

O’Neill, 38, ‘ignored’ a comment from his fellow officer about having a young family and ‘appeared to be enjoying’ the ‘pursuit mode’ drive, the sheriff court was told.

He tore through junctions and roundabouts at 1am after receiving a report of a suspect driver and was in danger of causing a multi-vehicle crash, the court heard.

Prosecutor Rebecca Reid told how O’Neill — who is no longer a serving officer — immediately activated the blue lights and siren of a Peugeot 308 estate squad car on leaving Greenock police office.

Fiscal depute Miss Reid said: “The accused drove the vehicle at an excessive speed, exceeding the 30mph speed limit, travelling through four roundabouts on the A78 through Greenock in a manner which the police witness describes as ‘pursuit mode’.

“The accused continued to drive at an excessive speed, travelling through temporary road works, and on approaching a speed camera located on Inverkip Road, he broke sharply, deactivated the blue lights, and when the police witness questioned him about this action, the accused stated, ‘It just adds complications’.

“Upon passing the speed camera, the accused increased the speed of the vehicle, returning to pursuit mode and reactivated the blue lights.

“On leaving the built up area, joining the duel carriageway, the police witness became increasingly concerned about the speed in which the vehicle was travelling, causing him to view the speedometer and observed the vehicle to be travelling at 80 mph.

“The police witness felt unsafe, and informed the accused that he had a young family, a comment which was ignored by the accused, who appeared to be both confident in driving the vehicle at this excessive speed and enjoying the experience.”

The fiscal depute added: “Whilst still travelling at an excessive speed the accused attempted an overtake manoeuvre, but upon appearing to notice this would result in him missing a junction, he broke sharply and manoeuvred the vehicle into a position where the police vehicle was travelling behind the further vehicles, whilst still displaying activated blue lights.

“The police witness became immediately concerned that the sudden presence of the police vehicle with blue lights on would cause one of these vehicles to stop suddenly and cause the police vehicle to unnecessarily collide with same.

“The police witness considered this driving manoeuvre to be ‘terrible’ and had placed all parties at risk.”

The court was told that the incident ended at an address in Inverkip and that the suspected drink-driver had not committed any offence.

O’Neill later boasted to another officer: “I was flying down to Inverkip.”

His colleague who was in the car with him described his driving as ‘appalling’, the court heard.

O’Neill — who committed the offence on February 8, 2020 — was charged with dangerous driving after the other officer discovered he had not yet completed a police standard driving course.

Fiscal depute Miss Reid said: “This caused him immediate alarm that the accused was not a qualified police driver, and as such had driven the police vehicle in the aforementioned circumstances without suitable authorisation.”

O’Neill had been due to stand trial on Monday, however, his guilty plea to a reduced charge of driving without due care and attention was accepted by the Crown.

His lawyer told the court: “The speed was excessive but not grossly excessive, in my submission.

“Nothing adverse came of this piece of driving.”

Sheriff Simon Pender interjected: “Fortunately.”

The solicitor replied: “Yes, my lord.”

Sheriff Pender fined O’Neill £500 and imposed eight penalty points on his driving licence.