A CARDENDEN man who crashed into a wall after deciding to go to McDonalds after a fire at his property has been banned from driving.

Richard Hogg Graham, 41, of Cardenden Road, smashed into a wall in the early hours of August 4 last year.

Appearing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, he admitted that on that date, on the B921 with its junction to the B981 (Woodend Road) and Jamphlars Road, he drove dangerously at excessive speed, lost control of his car on a bend, causing it to collide with a wall.

Both the vehicle and wall were severely injured while Graham, who also admitted driving without insurance, was injured in the collision.

Depute Fiscal Azrah Yousaf said police had seen Graham driving the Honda Civic but lost it soon before it lost control on the bend.

Air bags had been deployed in the crash and there was extensive damage to the vehicle and the nearby wall.

Solicitor Aime Allan told there court there had been a fire at a top flat where Graham lived and he and his family had had to get out of the property.

"As a result of what was happening, his son had asked if they could go and get a McDonalds," she said. "They got in the car and got on their way.

"Mr Graham was not thinking straight and decided to simply get in the car and accepts driving in the manner libelled. He believed he still had a few days left on the insurance policy but accepts that it had lapsed.

"He appreciates with the benefit of hindsight that medical conditions mean he is no longer fit for driving the vehicle. Also he had gone out of the property and smoke inhalation and his general disorientation meant he was not fit to be driving.

"He understands this is a very serious offence and is fortunate noone was hurt as a result of his driving apart from himself. He has not driven since this incident and doesn't intend to drive again."

Sheriff Charles McNair fined Graham a total of £860 and banned him from driving for 15 months.

"This was dangerous driving within a town," he said. "I accept that it was in the early hours of the morning but the problem with early hours of the morning is that the people about that area then, there is a tendency for them to be under the weather and accordingly dangerous driving at that time can have devastating consequences."