Daily Record Q&A Column

Q. I was offered the Driver Awareness Course as an alternative to prosecution for a careless driving allegation. Due to a mix up with my name, the company could not book me for the course. I now have court papers and don’t know what to do.

Derek, Dennistoun, Glasgow

A. Dear Derek,

You will need to rely upon some co-operation from the Crown, here. I would suggest that you undertake  the course and attend court with the certificate of completion. This should be presented to the Crown when the case calls and hopefully the depute in court is magnanimous enough to proceed no further.

Q. At what stage do you get sent to jail for drink-driving? Is it automatic above a certain level?

Ronnie, Helensburgh

A. Dear Ronnie,

The court will take into account a range of factors when determining  the appropriate sentence. Each case is determined on its own merits. It is logical that the higher the reading, the more likely a period of imprisonment becomes. The court will also have knowledge of previous criminal conduct, driving history, work history, social factors and risk of re-offending.

Q. I’ve not had the best of luck recently. My car has been detected speeding on three occasions and now I have three letters asking me  to go to court. Two of the cases are in Glasgow, the other in Stirling. Can I get all three brought together and dealt with in the same place?

Jean, Knightswood, Glasgow

A. Dear Jean,

In short, no. A case needs to be heard in the jurisdiction where the alleged offence took place. So while it should be relatively straightforward in bringing the two Glasgow matters together, the third will have to remain separate. It should also be noted that if all  three cases are at a high enough speed to attract court citations then your licence may be in danger. So it would be best to seek legal advice prior to the hearings.