Locals Detain Driver After BMW Smashes Through Garden Fence
A speeding BMW driver was physically restrained by members of the public after losing control of his vehicle and ploughing through multiple garden fences in a quiet residential area of Scotland.
Joseph Naismith, 33, from Wallyford, East Lothian, was driving at excessive speeds while under the influence of drink or drugs when the incident occurred on June 10 this year at Dalkeith's Thornybank Grove in Midlothian.
Chaotic Scenes as Residents Confront Driver
Footage captured by a local resident showed the chaotic aftermath, with destroyed fences and debris scattered across a family's garden. According to eyewitness accounts, Naismith attempted to reverse his vehicle out of the devastation before being confronted.
A local mother told how two men forced Naismith to the ground on the grass, detaining him until police arrived. In the footage, Naismith could be heard shouting "get off me" before officers helped him to his feet and confirmed his identity.
Shona Halliday, a resident who was in her house during the incident, described the terrifying moment: "He drove into the Woodburn pavilion car park, then drove right through the boundary fence through my garden and through me and my neighbour's fence. Then was trying to reverse back out."
Court Consequences and Community Relief
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week, Naismith pleaded guilty to multiple offences including driving at excessive speeds, driving in an erratic manner, and being unfit to drive through drink or drugs.
The court heard how the incident could have had far more serious consequences. One horrified mother emphasised that her 13-year-old son 'could have been playing in the garden' at the time Naismith crashed through the fence.
Sheriff Court officials handed down a 15-month driving disqualification and ordered Naismith to pay a £600 fine plus a £40 victim surcharge, which must be paid within two months. He was also ordered to sit an extended driving test before being allowed back on the roads.
Residents expressed relief that nobody was physically injured during the dangerous incident, though many were left shaken by what could have been a tragedy in their community.
