Six months for high-speed chase driver

A VAN driver has been jailed after a high-speed chase through the Capital ended when he crashed into a parked police car.

Paul Whytock, 27, was taken from the vehicle by officers who said he smelled of drink.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday, Whytock was jailed for six months and disqualified from driving for five years.

He had pleaded guilty previously to dangerous driving, failing to provide specimens, being a disqualified driver and having no insurance.

In the early hours of 10 November police received a tip-off that the driver of a van in East Fettes Avenue was drunk. Spotting it, a patrol car gave chase.

On Ferry Road, the van drove on the wrong side of the road and went through red lights. In East Claremont Street, it went at more than 60mph over speed bumps and at the junction of Broughton Road and Pilrig Street went through more red lights.

Police placed a stinger across Great Junction Street, but the van continued into Ocean Drive where it hit a parked police car.

Sheriff James Scott ordered Whytock to sit the extended driving test at the end of his disqualification period.