A DANGEROUS driver caught skipping a red light drove on tyres that were so worn that the cord was exposed.

Muhammad Faisal, 41, of Main Street, Crossgates, alerted police when he drove at excess speed down Halbeath Road and overtook a car early in the morning.

He previously admitted on March 17, 2019, at A907 Halbeath Road, he drove a car dangerously by driving at excessive speeds in a 30mph restricted area and drove through a red traffic light while his vehicle was not roadworthy.

Depute fiscal, Azrah Yousaf, told Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday that at 1.30am on the morning in question, police officers saw a vehicle over another car at speed and then fail to stop at a red light. It then drove off but stopped shortly after.

"When officers spoke to the accused they could see that on both tyres there was a lack of tread, so much so that one had exposed cord," Ms Yousaf said. In reply to police Faisal said: "I am just coming home."

The Court first heard that Faisal wanted to withdraw his guilty plea and proceed the case to trial.

His solicitor, Richard Freeman, argued that he had not wanted to plead guilty to dangerous driving at a previous occasion and had only held his hands up saying he was sorry about the balding tyres.

He said that was not what Faisal had instructed his previous solicitor to do and he was confused as to why he had been disqualified from driving when he left the dock.

"I would be thinking I would be doing my client a disservice to plead guilty to that," Mr Freeman added.

However, the withdrawal was opposed by the Crown.

Ms Yousaf said instructions had been taken down and read back to Faisal - additionally Sheriff Charles Macnair had checked if the accused was pleading guilty to the charge.

Sheriff Alastair Brown agreed with the Crown and refused the motion to withdraw.

Mr Freeman said his client slowed down on approach to the red light and that he went to get the tyres replaced the very next day.

He told the Court that losing his licence would impact hugely on his family and his takeaway business.

"I do not think he realised how serious the tyre situation was," Mr Freeman said.

"This is against a background of someone with no driving convictions."

Sheriff Alastair Brown said: "What we are dealing with is someone who was driving to excess with tyres so defective that the cord was showing.

"Driving with a dangerous car is dangerous driving and the risks are high.

"That by its own would justify dangerous driving.

"This was a deliberate choice to drive a car in such condition.

"There would have been a risk to life.

"I believe the plea was properly tendered."

The Sheriff imposed 135 hours of unpaid work and was banned from driving for 12 months.