Drove at 94mph, car is seized by court

The Magistrate’s Court heard yesterday that Krisiyan Sevdalinov’s 2.2litre Audi S3 Quattro had a book price of between £6,500 and £8,000.

He had paid for it by taking out a £10,000 personal loan which covered interest and insurance and he was still paying it back.

The defendant, 25, of Elmerscroft, Bosq Lane, St Peter Port, admitted driving at a speed dangerous to the public.

He was ordered to carry out 90 hours’ community service as a direct alternative to two months in prison and banned from driving for 15 months.

The incident happened at 11.20pm on 21 October as he drove towards Pembroke – he told police he thought he was going at between 50 and 60mph.

Judge Graeme McKerrell said the defendant’s actions had been idiotic, immature and irresponsible.

‘Saying you did not realise you were travelling at 94mph on Guernsey roads strains the grounds of credulity beyond breaking point,’ he said.

‘The speed was recorded over nearly 300 metres so it was not an insignificant distance. There is no justification whatsoever for this speed at any time of the day or night.’

He noted that the defendant was still paying back the loan for the car and that the imposition of a community service order would inhibit his ability to work and a prison sentence even more so.

‘I came here this morning with the intention of sending you to prison,’ he told Sevdalinov.

‘I will impose a community service order instead and the hours will be reduced accordingly. This was a crazy, crazy speed and in my view the order [to forfeit the car] is justified.’

He had one passenger in the car when he was caught in a police pro-laser speed detection check.

Officers heard a car accelerate as it came from the direction of the Vale Church and the driver was going quickly through the gears.

When the officers stopped him and asked him to get out of the car, he pulled the seat belt over his head as it was not fixed around his waist.

He told police he thought he had been travelling at between 50mph and 60mph. He was testing the car as he was planning to take it to his native Bulgaria

Sentencing had been adjourned so a probation report could be prepared.

Crown Advocate Fiona Russell said she was asking the court to order confiscation of the car under the police property and forfeiture law as it had been used to commit a crime.

Defending, Advocate Samuel Steel said his client had been caught red-handed at what he accepted was a ludicrous speed. By his own words his actions had been dangerous and idiotic.

He had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and this was his first speeding conviction in seven years of driving. He was a young man who had a lot of growing up to do.

He had been here since 2019 and worked 15 hours a day, seven days a week, as a cleaner. On the night in question he had finished early at 9pm and had gone on this fateful drive.

His parents relied on him for financial support. He realised he was going to be banned from driving for a long time anyway.

Forfeiture of the car was opposed and he asked the court to consider the totality principle when sentencing.

No separate order was made in respect of the seat belt not complying with the ordinance, which was also admitted.