A STABBING survivor who led police on a high-speed chase tried to blame a sinister stalker with a vendetta for his dangerous driving.

Jon Telfer, 21, claimed he panicked after mistaking an unmarked police car for an attacker and sped off through the streets of Cambuslang to shake them.

During his 'fast and furious' joyride, the accused raced through red lights and bashed a marked police car out of the way to make his escape.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court last week, his explanation was exposed as a lie when his lawyer conceded that Telfer was already speeding when he first came to the attention of police.

It was around 11.40pm when the plain-clothed officers in an unmarked vehicle observed a Volkswagen Golf driving at high speed. When the car failed to stop at two red lights, the officers called in for back-up and passed on the registration details.

When the marked units appeared with their blue lights and sirens, the accused put pedal to the metal in an attempt to lose the police. During the chase, Telfer became trapped in a car park but he drove straight at the police car and forced his way past.

Telfer was eventually lost from sight.

He was thereafter established as the registered keeper of the VW Golf and identified by police as the driver. Officers were unable to trace the accused following the incident, but a report was submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Telfer later pleaded guilty to driving a car dangerously and at excessive speeds along various roads in Cambuslang on January 6, 2018. He admitted failing to comply with red traffic signals and colliding with a marked police car, causing damage. He also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance.

His lawyer admitted: "It's as bad as they come."

The defence agent explained that Telfer and his family had been the subject of threats over the last few years, which culminated in the accused being repeatedly stabbed in a violent attack.

Telfer was said to be left with "serious anxiety" caused by a "serious assault".

His lawyer claimed that Telfer mistook the unmarked police car for a potential attacker and took off.

Sheriff Linda Ruxton voiced her displeasure at the accused's actions: "Is this something he would do with any vehicle?"

The Crown refuted the defence's claim that Telfer sped off when he mistakenly thought he was being followed by the unmarked police car. The fiscal depute stated that the accused came to their attention for speeding first.

The defence accepted the Crown's explanation, adding that Telfer panicked then took flight: "His adrenaline was guiding him at this point."

Telfer was said to be "deeply remorseful".

His lawyer added: "It's a sad state of affairs."

Sheriff Ruxton told the accused: "This is one of the most serious circumstances of careless driving that's been seen in these courts.

"You are very close to being sentenced to a custodial sentence."

Sheriff Ruxton told Telfer his serious and sustained nature of dangerous driving put the police and the public at risk.

However, Telfer, of Cumbernauld Road in Stepps, avoided jail and was instead sentenced to a Community Payback Order with 260 hours of unpaid work to be completed within eight months. He was also disqualified from driving for three years, had his licence endorsed, and was fined £180 for not having insurance.

Following the case, Jack Kushner, spokesperson for Brake, the road safety charity, said: “This is an appalling case.

"Uninsured drivers have no rights to be behind the wheel, and Mr Telfer is extremely lucky that no one was hurt or seriously injured in this incident.

"Breaking the speed limit is a serious offence, and speeding drivers selfishly put themselves and other road users at high risk of death or very serious injury.

"At Brake, we see every day the devastating impact road crashes caused by speeding have on families and communities.”