Three caught using dual carriageway for golf practice

The three men were caught in the dead of night by police, after stray shots smashed the window of a nearby house. Golf balls were also being hit towards local shops a busy roadway.

The culprits were later identified from CCTV footage.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, three of the “golfers”, who had been identified by the police, were ordered to perform unpaid work under Community Payback Orders.

The three had been charged with culpably and recklessly striking golf balls into the central reservation of Pennywell Road, Edinburgh, on April 2 last year, endangering members of the public, property and passing vehicles.

Twenty year old Lee Ridgway of Ferry Road, had pled guilty at the first calling of the case. John Donlevy, 18, of West Pilton Gardens and Paul Henderson, 20, of Muirhouse Drive, all Edinburgh, were found guilty after trial.

Sentence had been deferred for background reports.

Police witnesses spoke of youths hitting the balls “without concern in which direction they were travelling” or “Hitting golf balls into the central reservation without any due concern about where they were landing”.

Appearing for Ridgway, defence solicitor, Keith Leishman, said his client now realised the danger that could have been caused by his actions, which had been “extremely silly”. Jim Wardlaw for Donlevy said it had been “A matter of folly”, but the CCTV showed his client striking a golf ball once and only once. Phil Templeton, acting for Henderson, said his client had been seen making two swings at a ball, with one connection. “It was reckless conduct, rather than malice” he said.

Sheriff Neil Mackinnon ordered Ridgway to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work in six months and Donlevy and Henderson 100 hours within three months.