A CARDENDEN man who smashed his car into a roadside house causing over £36,000 in damage has escaped a jail sentence for dangerous driving.

Gavin Reilly (24), Denfield Avenue, admitted that on 1st August last year, in Lochleven Road, Lochore, he drove a car dangerously and at excessive speed, failed to keep it under control, repeatedly struck the kerb, collided with two vehicles and then the house at 22 Lochleven Road, causing damage to the vehicles and severe damage to the house.

At Dunfermline Sheriff Court, on Wednesday, depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said that at around 2.40am a van was struck by the accused’s car. Shortly afterwards the collision with the house took place at Lochleven Road, after Reilly’s car had struck a vehicle.

There was serious structural damage caused to the external and internal walls with the home owner smelling gas because the supply line was broken. The cost of repairs to the house was £36,029 and there were £4709 costs to temporarily re-house the home owner. Reilly sustained a head injury, fractured leg and pelvis. CCTV images showed Reilly striking a vehicle, hitting a kerb, bursting two tyres and colliding with the house.

Defence solicitor Lucy Durie said her client was “extremely regretful” and the incident “has haunted him ever since”.

She added, “He’s been very worried and anxious this will result in a custodial sentence. It’s been a real eye-opener.” Sheriff William Wood imposed a community payback order with 300 hours unpaid work, a compensation order to the home owner of £3000 and disqualified Reilly from driving for nine years.

The accident caused considerable commotion in Lochore in the early hours of 1st August last year. The occupants of the house were awoken by a tremendous noise and they were stunned to find the vehicle having breached the structure. There was a smell of gas and there were fears that it could lead to an explosion but they were thankful that they escaped injury.