Dons football star fined for speeding through roadworks

Jonny Hayes was caught in a temporary 50mph zone on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

Published 30th Aug 2016

A Scottish Premiership star picked up points of a different kind today - after being caught speeding through roadworks at 84mph in a flash motor.

Top flight footballer and Dons winger Jonny Hayes was caught flouting the limit in a temporary 50mph zone on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

The 29-year-old Irishman was driving a Mercedes E220 AMG sports coupe when he was snared by police on the A90 Aberdeen to Peterhead road earlier this year.

Roadworks are being carried out on the stretch of carriageway as part of work on the long awaited city bypass, which is currently under construction.

But according to police many drivers have been flouting the temporary speed limit.

Officers had to step up patrols between the villages of Murcar and Balmedie after getting "daily" calls about drivers failing to reduce their speed on the road.

Workers on the bypass project also expressed safety fears after noting many drivers failing to take heed of the lowered speed limit.

And Transport Scotland was forced to install average speed cameras earlier this year in an attempt to enforce it.

The cameras were switched on last month after the scheme was hampered by substantial delays understood to be related to technical issues.

Hayes, who lives in Balmedie just outside Aberdeen, was caught breaking the limit on April 17 - before the cameras became operational.

The flying Aberdeen winger, known for his pace on the pitch, admitted the charge last month by way of letter at Aberdeen's Justice of the Peace Court.

And yesterday/today he appeared in the court to be sentenced - while wearing baby pink trainers.

The court heard that Hayes' home in the village of Balmedie lies in the midst of the ongoing roadworks and the temporary speed limit zone.

He had pulled out into a line of traffic before being snared by police breaking the limit.

The footballer was fined £350 and given five penalty points on his driving licence.

Hayes started his Scottish football career in 2009 at Inverness Caledonian Thistle after several seasons on the English football circuit.

He left the Caley Jags in May 2012 after signing a two-year deal with the Dons.

Since then he has been instrumental in manager Derek McInnes's current set-up at Pittodrie.