A DANGEROUS driver who was clocked at 130mph on the A82 after a terrifying high-speed dash past Loch Lomond has been spared prison.

Brendan Black was spotted by police witnesses on the A82 at Sloy power station, north of Tarbet, earlier this year – prompting colleagues further south to lie in wait for him.

The 22-year-old was seen later that day weaving in and out of traffic in an erratic and dangerous manner, driving on the wrong side of the road towards oncoming traffic, between Arden and Balloch and on the southbound approach to the Stoneymollan roundabout.

And a short time later traffic police clocked him travelling at upwards of 130mph on the dual carriageway stretch between Balloch and Dumbarton.

READ MORE: Driver clocked at 130mph on A82 after terror dash past Loch Lomond

Black, a first offender, appeared for sentencing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Tuesday, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two charges of driving dangerously and at excessive speed, forcing other motorists to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

He was clocked going at more than 100mph on the A85 between Lochearnhead and Lix Toll, and on the A82 near Crianlarich, on Monday, April 15.

The court was told last month how Black had tried to squeeze his blue Mercedes between two lines of stationary vehicles on the approach to the Lomondgate roundabout in a bid to escape from chasing police – damaging his own car, and four other vehicles, in the process.

After exiting the roundabout into a housing estate, Black struck a road sign and tried to make his escape on foot by jumping over the perimeter wall of a nearby house – only to find himself in the back garden of an off-duty police officer, who detained him until colleagues arrived at the scene.

He had appeared at a hearing on September 13 without a solicitor, but was encouraged by Sheriff William Gallacher to seek legal representation before being sentenced.

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At last Tuesday’s hearing, solicitor Nicholas Scullion said Black was “under no illusions” about the seriousness of his offending.

Mr Scullion told the court: “He fully accepts that the manner of his driving put himself and other road users at grave risk.

“I’ve had the benefit of reading the criminal justice social work report, in which the writer assesses him as being at minimum risk of re-offending.

“He presents as quite a sensible man – certainly as a very remorseful man – and is very conscious that it’s only through good fortune that he is not facing more serious charges.”

Mr Scullion said that only a few days before the incident, one of Black’s friends had taken his own life.

“That affected him much more than he realised,” Mr Scullion continued.

“He made the very stupid decision to take another friend’s car and get away from it all.

“Following that stupid decision to take the car, when he was confronted by police he made the even more stupid decision to get away from them.

“He is very aware that custody is something that should be considered by the court to show deterrence both to my client and to others.”

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Sheriff Gallacher told Black: “The manner of your driving had no regard for anyone else or for the consequences that flowed from it.

“Were you appearing before me with any criminal history, I would have no option but to send you to custody for the maximum period I could.

“However, there are other options available.”

Black, of Woodvale Avenue in Airdrie, was instead handed a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody which will see him supervised by social workers for two years.

He will also have to attend a road traffic offender rehabilitation course run by his local authority, North Lanarkshire Council.

In addition, he was ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work within eight months.

He was also banned from holding or obtaining a licence for two years on the first dangerous driving charge, and three years on the second, and will have to sit an extended test once the ban has run out.