Kelso 47-year-old fined £400 for careless driving on A698 near Hawick

Recycling centre manager Darren Batey forced two vehicles to take evasive action after he overtook a car on the A698 road between Denholm and Hawick on July 18.

One of the vehicles forced to brake sharply due to his manoeuvre was being driven by a police officer, Jedburgh Sheriff Court heard.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said: “The car driven by the accused came up quite fast behind two vehicles.

“It pulled out to overtake just at the same time as a police officer was coming into the village.

“She had to take evasive action. She was braking heavily and, in fact, came to a complete stop to avoid a collision.

“The car the accused was overtaking had to stop as well.

“As there was a long line of traffic, the vehicle that was being overtaken managed to catch up with the accused’s car and note down the registration number.”

Mr Fraser said Batey, 47, of Fairway Court in Kelso, admitted to police he was responsible for causing the other vehicles to take evasive action.

He described his manoeuvre as more of a misjudgement than anything else as he had not seen the oncoming vehicle approaching due to overgrown bushes at the side of the road.

That excuse failed to impress Mr Fraser, though, and he said: “The bushes would have been a reason not to overtake there and it is a twisty road.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson added: “It seems to me more than a misjudgement.”