A DANGEROUS teenage driver tore through a school crossing patrol in Gourock — narrowly missing a young girl and a 'shaken' lollipop attendant.

Tyler Newton, 18, eventually brought his car to a halt on Larkfield Road 'for a matter of moments' before driving off again.

The primary school-aged child had to be grabbed and plucked from the carriageway by her father — a police officer — in order to avoid being struck by Newton's Vauxhall Corsa.

Newton, a student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, has been banned from the roads after pleading guilty to dangerous driving at Greenock Sheriff Court.

Prosecutor Emma Gilliland said: "A police officer had made his way to the crossing with his child.

"The accused had an unrestricted view of the patroller, who was wearing high visibility clothing and carrying a stop sign.

"Eastbound traffic had stopped and the police witness and his daughter began to cross the road.

"The officer then observed that a silver-coloured car had failed to stop and he grabbed his daughter and pulled her away from the carriageway."

Fiscal depute Miss Gilliland added: "The vehicle then stopped for a matter of moments and then left.

"Its registration number was noted and the matter was reported.

"The patroller was still shaken the following day by what had happened."

Newton admitted failing to stop and to causing pedestrians, including a child, to take evasive action in order to avoid being struck by his car.

He committed the offence on August 25 last year after dropping his girlfriend off at school.

The court was told that he had passed his driving test around four months prior to the incident.

Defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher said: "The first observation to make was that it was perhaps good fortune that no-one was injured.

"Mr Newton is 18 years of age and is involved in a four-year course at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow.

"He was an inexperienced driver and clearly there has been a lapse in concentration.

"Mr Newton applied brakes, albeit too late.

"Then, with no-one having been injured, he has driven off."

Mr Gallagher added: "This is a young man who is very unlikely to find himself before this, or any other, court in future.

"He is most apologetic for the oversight on his part on the day in question."

Sheriff James Varney told Newton: "This is not the best start to your university career at all.

"This standard of driving is simply unacceptable and the court is required to reflect that in the disposal of this case.

"The hope is that you do not come before the justice system again."

Newton has been banned from the roads for 14 months and must re-sit the extended driving test. He was fined £800.

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