Van man drove dangerously

A van driver transporting cats and dogs for sale to Scotland from Poland caused an early morning crash last week in the Borders by swerving onto the opposite carriageway of the A68.
By Court Reporter
Published 28th Aug 2020, 10:53 BST
The collision took place near the Carfraemill roundabout.The collision took place near the Carfraemill roundabout.
The collision took place near the Carfraemill roundabout.

Marcin Tomal, 24, had a “momentary lapse of concentration” by causing his van to strike the wing mirror of a car heading in the opposite direction near the Carfraemill roundabout.

The driver of the car suffered a suspected fractured hand in the incident shortly after 5.30am on Monday, August 17.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tomal – an engineering student in Krakow – appeared from custody at Jedburgh Sheriff Court where he admitted a charge of dangerous driving.

He was banned from the road for 12 months and ordered to resit the extended driving test, as well as being fined £100. A £10 vehicle surcharge was also imposed.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said that to supplement his student income, his client and a colleague had been delivering cats and dogs as pets from Poland to addresses in Edinburgh and Dundee and had been taking it in turns to drive the van.

He added: “There was a momentary lapse of concentration and the wing mirrors collided.”

The court heard that the car left the road and mounted an embankment before striking a post.