A FARMER has avoided a driving ban after he admitted carelessly reversing his tractor in the direction of a vehicle.

Ian Hodge was originally facing a charge of dangerous driving following the incident at a road near to Hodges Farm, near Pencaitland, in May 2021.

But when farm owner Hodge appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week, the Crown accepted a guilty plea to the lesser charge of driving without due care and attention.

Sheriff Peter McCormack was told that Hodge, of Hodges Farm, Boggs Road, was driving an unregistered vehicle and reversed the tractor in the direction of the vehicle driven by Mohammed Sadiq.

The Crown accepted a not guilty plea to Hodge behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence during the incident on May 2, 2021.

Sheriff McCormack fined Hodge, 43, £260 and placed four penalty points on his driving licence.