Scots businessman who 'gave impression he could buy freedom' spared jail

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A "very successful" businessman who gave social workers the impression he could buy his way out of jail has been allowed to walk free from court again.Car salesman Christopher Dickson dodged a prison sentence after a court heard he was earning £120,000 per year and employed nearly 30 people at his family dealership.Dickson was allowed to avoid jail despite a lengthy record spanning 18 years and including a drunken road rage attack on a young family and repeatedly ignoring driving bans.Sheriff Krista Johnson said: "My powers are relatively limited in how long I can send you to jail for this particular offence.

I would be required to discount sentence by one-third. I have to think what's best to protect the public. "That would have the effect of reducing your sentence and I am aware of how much time you might actually spend in custody.

Part of my thinking is that if I just jail you today that might have the effect of stopping you doing this again and work as a deterrent. "The other aspect is that if something is available to me to allow you to continue your employment I have to consider that possibility.

It must be very apparent to you if you continue to do this you will eventually run up against a sheriff who will jail you."The sheriff told Perth Sheriff Court: "I'm told that he is a very successful man with a successful business and I would hate to give the impression that somehow gives him a ticket to avoid a custodial sentence."I have had a flavour of that from the social work report.