Van driver jumped lights and almost struck lollipop man

A DRIVER led police on a high speed chase through red lights and across several busy junctions nearly crashing into a lollipop man.

When officers went to speak to Kenneth Dunbar in his transit van on Thursday of this week he drove off at speed.

The chase began in Charterhall Road in Edinburgh. The van was followed by a police vehicle with flashing lights and siren and went through red traffic lights and failed to give way at several junctions.

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At the junction of Myreside Road and Colinton Road, the van narrowly avoided a school crossing patrolman, standing in the middle of the road, who was assisting children.

The transit then turned into the grounds of Napier University, where the driver jumped from the vehicle, while it was still moving, and ran off. The van crashed into a building. Dunbar was chased on foot by officers and arrested.

At the city's Sheriff Court today the 43-year old, of St Johns Road, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to charges of driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, failing to stop when requested by police, and having no insurance. He was disqualified from driving for five years in August 2007.

Defence agent, Paul Haran, said Dunbar was "absolutely horrified" by his actions. He was a self-employed plasterer, and, since his disqualification, had employed a driver. The man had, however, been unwell on Thursday. There was a job that needed completion and Dunbar had "stupidly driven the van".

When he was stopped by the officers on a random check, he had driven off, and, said his lawyer: "Once it had started it just escalated".

Deferring sentence for background reports, Sheriff Isabella McColl, remanded Dunbar in custody. He had, she said, shown a complete disregard for people's safety, in particular, the school crossing patrolman and by abandoning the vehicle while it was still moving.

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