AN Italian tourist who caused a crash which resulted in a police car ending up on its side and embedded in a tree has been fined £700.

Sacha Coltellacci - who is a journalist with Sky News - admitted a charge of careless driving on the A72 Innerleithen to Peebles road at Cardrona.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told he was turning right in his left-hand drive BMW 1 Series car but had gone over the white lines and was struck by the police car which was attending an emergency call with flashing blue lights and siren sounding.

The 25-year-old driver of the police car was seriously injured and Coltellacci, from Milan, his wife and two children aged one and five were all injured.

Fiona Hamilton, prosecuting, said:"He was not in the right position on the road and the outcome is quite significant.

"The police car leaves the road and strikes a telegraph pole and comes to rest on its side.

"The accused's vehicle was significantly damaged and the police officer suffered a fracture to his vertebrae but is expected to make a full recovery.

Sheriff Raymond McMenamin said the offence was at the lower end of the scale being more of a misjudgement  and he would deal with the case in Coltellacci's absence.

In addition to the fine which was reduced from £1,000 due to his guilty plea, Coltellacci had his licence endorsed with four penalty points.