Ban for Scotland's worst speeder, clocked at 166mph on motorbike

Hairdresser Neil Purves was clocked at 166 miles per hour on a motorbike while he was travelling through the Borders on 13 May.

He was more than 100mph over the limit when he was clocked by police on the A702 at the notorious Dolphinton straight near West Linton, Peeblesshire.

Purves, 27, from Cockburnspath, Berwickshire, pleaded guilty to a dangerous driving charge yesterday at Peebles Sheriff Court.

Sentence was deferred for background reports.

Procurator-fiscal Morag McLintock said: "We believe this is the highest speed that the police have ever recorded in Scotland.

"A police speed check was taking place when officers were alerted by a high-pitched whine from the motorcycle's engine," she said.

The court was told that Purves had since sold his motorcycle.

Defence lawyer Graham Walker said: "The speed of 166mph leaves most of us speechless and he is deeply ashamed.

"He undertook an advanced motorcycle training course after this incident but later decided to just sell his bike."

Sheriff Neil Mackinnon disqualified Purves on an interim basis until sentencing takes place on 28 October.

He said: "This is an extremely high speed and we should know all the background facts."

Purves, who works at a hairdressing salon in Edinburgh, was accompanied in court by his parents.

His guilty plea means he tops the previous Scottish record, which was held by car dealer Jason McAllister, of Aberdeen, who was jailed for five months in 2003 at Forfar Sheriff Court after driving his BMW M3 at 156.7mph on the A90 between Aberdeen and Dundee.

McAllister, who was 27 at the time of the offence, also admitted dangerous driving and driving while disqualified.

As well as the prison sentence McAllister was disqualified for four years and ordered to resit an extended test after a sheriff described his speed as "absolutely outrageous".

Last year, more than 20 motorists were caught driving at more than 100mph on that section of the A702 in the Borders, sparking calls for permanent speed cameras to be positioned.

Police speed traps regularly catch motorists exceeding the 60mph limit on the mile-long straight by massive speeds.

Purves is still short of the British record set by Tim Brady in January 2007, when he was clocked at 172mph.

Brady, 33, from Harrow in north-west London, was caught while driving a 98,000 3.6-litre Porsche 911 Turbo in January.

He was clocked by a random speed check near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, Oxford Crown Court was told. Brady pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous driving.

As well as being jailed for ten weeks, Brady was banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay 474 in costs.

He resigned his job as a delivery driver for a luxury hire car firm following his arrest.

Brady had taken the Porsche from his workplace without permission.

Although the worst speeder ever caught by a speed trap, Brady is not the worst ever convicted for speeding on Britain's roads.

In December 2000 motorcyclist Daniel Nicks was jailed for six weeks and banned for two years after filming himself doing 175mph aboard his Honda Fireblade on the A41 in Hertfordshire.

The father of two strapped a camcorder to his helmet and roared along the A41 in Hertfordshire before he crashed.

Police found the camera, played back the tape and charged him.