A 43-YEAR-OLD man who drove on the wrong side of the road and caused a female motorist fearing a head-on collision has been banned from the road for 12 months.

At Selkirk Sheriff Court, Richard Patterson, of Gala Park Gardens, Galashiels, pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving following the incident on the Melrose A6091 by-pass on August 2.

Graham Fraser, prosecuting, said the accused had been driving a Mitsbushi large pick-up which is owned by the building firm he works for but was allowed to use it at weeeknds.

He said that at 8.10pm on the Saturday vening a 30-year-old woman was heading westwards towards Galashiels when she was confronted by a vehicle on the wrong side of the road.

Mr Fraser explained: “There were two occupants of the car. She slowed right down and sounded her horn and it was only at that point that Patterson pulled back onto the correct side of the road.

“The lady had to pull over and compose herself. Thereafter the matter was reported to the police in view of what happened.” Defence lawyer Ross Dow accepted the behaviour could only be described as “bizarre”. He explained that his client had been told earlier in the day that his 20-year-old son had cancer and “his mind was elsewhere”. Mr Dow said: “He was terribly upset and clearly not cocentrating. Fortunately it later emerged it was not cancer.” Sheriff Peter Paterson imposed a 12 month driving ban after which he will need to re-sit the extended driving test as well as a £300 fine.