A FOOLISH motorist who tailgated a car to within three feet of its rear bumper for two miles at 70mph has been allowed to keep his licence — after prosecutors agreed not to pursue him for dangerous driving.

Stewart Cameron, 44, was originally charged with a serious breach of road traffic law after being spotted on the A8 at Port Glasgow by police in an unmarked vehicle.

But the Crown decided to accepted Cameron’s guilty plea to the lesser charge of careless driving — which prompted a sheriff to remark that the Mercedes owner had been ‘very lucky’.

Procurator fiscal depute Kevin Doherty told Greenock Sheriff Court: “Mr Cameron was tailgating a Vauxhall Corsa and was within three feet of its rear bumper.

“This continued at a constant 70mph for around two miles.

“He made no reply on being cautioned and charged.” The court heard that businessman Cameron had been ‘pre-occupied’ and ‘in a hurry’ on the day of the offence as he drove towards his parents’ house in Bearsden to retrieve a VAT invoice.

His lawyer told how he had been having renovation work carried out to a property and ‘suddenly realised’ that the missing invoice had been sent to the other address.

The solicitor said: “He apologises to the court and feels that his driving fell below that of what he would expect of himself.” It was revealed during the course of the hearing that Cameron has two previous convictions for speeding offences.

Sheriff Rajni Swanney said there was ‘real and clear potential for an accident’ to have been caused as a result of Cameron’s driving.

His lawyer said that his client relies on his vehicle because he frequently travels from his family home at Loch Striven on the Cowal Peninsula to London, where he is trying to set up a private equity company.

He added: “This has been a steep learning curve for him.” Sheriff Swanney remarked: “This was certainly at the upper end of careless driving. There was no proper stopping distance at all.” She told Cameron: “You have two previous convictions for speeding and you are very lucky that the Crown has accepted your guilty plea to careless and not dangerous driving.” Cameron, of Pembroke Road, London, pled guilty to driving without due care and attention and reasonable consideration for other road users.

He had his licence docked eight penalty points and was fined £500 with 28 days to pay.