Two men in court after 'stolen car' seriously injures officer in crash

Two men have appeared in court after an alleged stolen vehicle crashed with a police car seriously injuring an officer.

Two other police officers were allegedly assaulted after the collision on the A82 on Sunday.

Iain Grant, 29, faced six charges, and Robert MacAllister, 42, faced two charges.

Both men, from Dingwall, made no plea through their solicitor Mary-Ellen Scobbie at Inverness Sheriff Court on Monday.

Sheriff Sara Matheson remanded Grant in custody and MacAllister was granted bail.

It is alleged that both men stole a silver Subaru Forester from Cambrai Court in Dingwall on Sunday and MacAllister drove it with almost twice the permitted level of alcohol in his system.

Grant is accused of driving the vehicle on the Dunain Straight and failing to stop for a police sergeant; driving it dangerously between Dingwall and the A82 at Abriachan junction and the Dunain Straight and seriously injuring the sergeant’s female colleague.

Another officer sustained minor injuries, Police Scotland confirmed.

The road was closed for an hour.

It is further alleged that Grant repeatedly carried out unsafe overtaking manoeuvres, swerved across the road at speed and nearly collided with other vehicles, veered to the left causing it to collide with a preceding police vehicle, attempted to drive past it, resulting in it losing control, enter a ditch and overturn onto its roof.

The charge added that Grant then braked suddenly and drove in front of a second police vehicle, causing it to enter a ditch and collide with a stone wall.

Grant is additionally accused of driving while unfit through drink or drugs; assaulting two officers by repeatedly kicking both on the body and attempting to bite one on the hand.

The sixth charge is one of Grant resisting arrest and struggling violently whereby ambulance personnel had to sedate him before he was transported to Raigmore Hospital for assessment.