A PRISONER who ploughed a stolen car into a building in Dunfermline's Chalmers Street, rupturing two gas boxes, has been jailed for three years.

Jason MacDonald, 29, had no driving licence nor insurance but decided to steal the car after finding keys behind a grit box near the Harlem nightclub. 

MacDonald, who had taken alcohol and diazepam earlier that day, then headed home to get more drugs but crashed when he tried turning on the radio.

The smash resulted in 30 residents evacuated from their flats at 4am while gas works were made safe.

MacDonald, a prisoner at Perth, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday charged with four offences committed at Chalmers Street on March 26.

He admitted that he stole a car; drove it with no lights illuminated, collided with the rear of another car, causing extensive damage to the rear of the vehicle, and collided with a building, causing damage to the building and gas to leak from two gas boxes.

He also pleaded guilty to driving without a licence and without insurance. He committed all the offences on bail.

Fiscal depute Gary McMullan said a Chalmers Street resident had been awoken about 4am by “a loud bang” and on looking out, saw a car “pointing in towards a block of flats”.

He told the court: “This was a vehicle that had been driven by the accused, having been stolen by him from a location on Chalmers Street in the early hours of the morning.

“It was clear to the resident that the vehicle had struck the building and it appeared that it had collided with gas pipes because he could smell gas.

“He immediately contacted the police. The resident had initially seen the driver of the vehicle, the accused, but on looking back out of the window after phoning the police, did not see him.

“Scottish Gas and the fire service were also contacted due to the possible damage to the building and gas leak.”

The stolen car had extensive damage to the front and there was also damage to the rear offside lighting unit and the brickwork of the building.

Mr McMullan added: “Officers could smell gas and observed damage to two gas boxes for the building.

“Due to the possible gas leak, the decision was taken to evacuate the block of flats; 30 people, including children as young as 10 months, had to leave the 11 properties.

“There was light rain and the weather was quite cold. Some of the children were quite upset.”

Police noticed the key was still in the ignition of the car but it had “snapped, possibly due to the impact of the crash”, and the windscreen was smashed on the driver's side, with fragments of hair and cracked glass.

MacDonald had also collided with another car parked on Chalmers Street, leaving its rear bumper hanging off and causing extensive damage to the rear offside lighting unit and rear panel.

He was identified following CCTV investigations and officers speaking to the owner of the stolen car. It was then discovered that he had no licence nor insurance.

Solicitor Jennifer Simpson said MacDonald had been in Dunfermline with friends on the night. After his friends went into Harlem – which he had been barred from – MacDonald found keys behind a grit box and located a car in a car park.

Calling the offence “opportunistic”, Ms Simpson said: “He foolishly decided to drive home to collect some diazepam, then drive back before the owner found the car missing.

“He tried turning on the radio, which resulted in the collision. He then abandoned the car.

“He accepts that he had consumed alcohol and diazepam earlier that day which clouded his judgment.

“He accepts the consequences of his actions could have been worse and the inconvenience to others and the loss to the public purse as a result.”

She said MacDonald had an “unenviable record” from Northern Ireland and had “become somewhat institutionalised”.

She further revealed that he had depression and anxiety, had grown up with domestic abuse, and had been subjected to a range of abuse while in care.

The solicitor continued: “He was in and out of jail and moved to Fife in 2014 hoping to have a fresh start but it's not quite worked out.”

Sheriff Craig McSherry jailed MacDonald for 36 months and disqualified him from driving for five years.