AN ENGINEER Officer at the Merchant Navy was fined £715 today for careless driving.

James Black, 26, was caught speeding and overtaking cars behind the wheel of a blue Volkswagen Golf in Glasgow’s M74 on October 6, 2020.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard officers witnessed Black, of Helensburgh, going at 90 miles per hour when in a 50 zone.

Prosecutor Amanda Gallagher added: “He was overtaking vehicles at excessive speeds.

“The police car had to accelerate to follow Black for a distance of 0.2 miles.”

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Black stopped the car when ordered to by the officers.

The first offender pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the single careless driving charge.

Ron Mackenna, defending, told the court: “He has a clean driving licence.

“He has never been in trouble before and is doing well in the Merchant Navy as an engineer officer.”

Sheriff Sean Murphy QC told Black that he went at a “grossly excessive speed in a clearly marked area” when sentencing him.