Driver jailed after 22nd offence

Beattie was jailed and banned at Jedburgh Sheriff Court

A man has been jailed for eight months after picking up his 22nd conviction for driving while disqualified.

James Beattie, 32, of no fixed abode, used two different cars over two days knowing he was banned from the road.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court heard how he crashed a car in Selkirk on 10 April last year and drove another vehicle into a field the following day.

He admitted two charges of driving while disqualified and was banned from getting behind the wheel for 10 years.

The court was told how he fled the scene on foot after his vehicle hit a parked car in Selkirk.

The following day he bought another car for £300 from a Jedburgh couple who had displayed a "for sale" sign on the vehicle parked outside their home.

You have an appalling record for driving while disqualified Sheriff Kevin Drummond

However, within two hours he had driven the car off the road into a field and flagged down an off-duty policeman to give him a lift to his work in Duns.

He gave a false name to the officer even though he did not know he was a police officer.

Beattie was eventually traced and pleaded guilty to two counts of driving while disqualified and with no insurance.

His lawyer said the offences related to "a long-standing drug problem" his client was suffering at the time.

He explained: "He was particularly anxious to get access to drugs, and his use of both vehicles was based on that."

Sheriff Kevin Drummond jailed Beattie for eight months backdated to 5 February and banned him from driving for 10 years.

"You have an appalling record for driving while disqualified," he said.