A PEEBLES pensioner has been banned from the road after crashing into a bollard at the town's Mercat Cross when his car windscreen was covered with frost.

After the collision 66-year-old William Gray drove along the Eastgate the wrong way before eventually driving off.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving and received a 16-month disqualification as well as being fined £350.

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Depute fiscal Miriam Clark told Selkirk Sheriff Court that Gray failed to adhere to the keep left sign at the Mercat Cross and collided with a metal bollard which cracked his vehicle's front bumper.

She said witnesses ran to assist him but he then drove off the traffic island and along the wrong side of the road.

The fiscal continued: "He was driving towards one of the witnesses vehicles who advised him he was on the wrong side of the road and said he should not be driving with the windscreen covered in frost."

Ms Clark said Gray bumped his vehicle off the traffic island before driving off but was later traced by police officers at his Peebles home.

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick said his client did get out of his vehicle at the time of the incident.

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But he advised Gray has now given up his driving licence on medical advice.

Mr Patrick said: "He won't be driving again."

Sheriff Peter Paterson said he regarded the offence at the upper end of dangerous driving.

He said he would have banned Gray for 24 months but reduced the disqualification period to 16 months due to the guilty plea.

A fine of £350 was imposed with a £20 Victim Surcharge.

Sheriff Paterson told Gray: "This was a deliberate act on your part which potentially endangered pedestrians."