A MAN who looked like "a zombie" while leading the police on a high-speed chase through Alloa has avoided jail.

Craig McGuire was spotted by a number of members of the public on March 17 as he drove around numerous streets in Alloa before smashing into a lamppost which set his car on fire.

He appeared at Alloa Sheriff Court last Thursday, May 9, for sentencing as Susannah Hutchison, depute fiscal, described the events leading up to the crash.

At around 5.30pm, according to Ms Hutchison, a witness was arriving home in his vehicle when he saw the accused’s car sitting stationary in the middle of a street.

The man eventually went around McGuire’s car and noticed that he started driving again, describing him as looking “psychotic”, adding that he “didn’t know what was going on”.

Around an hour later another witness observed the car stationary again and pulled up beside it outside his work.

McGuire asked the witness for a cigarette and in turn asked him if he had been drinking.

This prompted an angry response from the accused who stuck his finger up and “drove off at speed, swerving across the road”.

According to that witness, McGuire was “looking like a zombie and had no control”.

The next witness saw the accused at Riverside View and watched him repeatedly stall his vehicle before mounting the pavement. He was described as being “slumped” in his seat.

A little later on another member of the public was driving along Maree Court when McGuire’s car veered onto her side of the road towards her, forcing her to take evasive action to avoid a collision.

She described him as being “completely out of his tree”.

After every witness contacted the police, officers traced the vehicle on Kilncraigs Road with just the accused inside.

When he spotted the police he made off at speed down Broad Street, before performing a U-turn and going back up it. He then crashed into a street light before his car burst into flames.

Police officers transported the accused to Forth Valley Royal Hospital where he was “aggressive and uncooperative” as he kicked and headbutted one of the officers.

He then threatened one of the police, saying: “When I find out where you live, I will kill you. I hope you die. I’ll rape your daughter and f*** your wife.”

Police searching his vehicle found two empty Buckfast bottles.

Harry Coughlan, representing McGuire, told the court that his client is “ashamed” of his behaviour that night and is “relieved at the lack of consequences”, namely that nobody was hurt by his actions.

He did say, however, that a social work report suggests he is not taking full responsibility for it, claiming that his “drinks were spiked”.

The solicitor added that the 31-year-old has since cut down his alcohol consumption.

Sheriff David Mackie sentenced McGuire to 225 hours of unpaid work with 18 months of supervision and an 18-month disqualification from driving.