A VAN driver, who hit a drunken reveller walking in the middle of the road and sent him flying into the air, has escaped a jail sentence.

Robert Buckley, 26, from Clydebank, who admitted driving dangerously at Scott Lochrie in the town's Radnor Street on June 11, 2017, was banned from driving for 18 months.

Buckley was also ordered to perform 100 hours unpaid work in the community and fined £900.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Mr Lochrie suffered minor grazing to his arms and legs in the incident.

Prosecutor Duncan McPhie said: “Mr Lochrie was in the middle of the road when the driver of the white Corsa van drove towards him.

“The van struck him and the impact forced him into the air.

"He struck the front of the van's windscreen before falling against the front grill of a parked black Corsa car.

"The driver of the van then drove off.”

CCTV footage taken from the nearby Cleddans public house showed Mr Lochrie leaving the pub and then gave a partial view of the hit and run incident.

A police check revealed that the car was registered to Buckley. It was found parked nearby in Clydebank. The front windscreen was damaged.

Police officers estimated that the van's speed as it hit Mr Lochrie was 13.9mph. It then sped off at 35.8 mph.

When Buckley was interviewed by police he was asked if the incident was debt or drug related and replied that it was not.

Judge Lady Stacey told Buckley: “A custodial sentence is not appropriate in this case.”