About 8pm, the 37-year-old drove a Mitsubishi Magna north along Kelly Street, past the BP service station, as Hunter Valley Police District officers were in the car park of McDonald’s, which is located directly beside the BP.

The accused was seen to travel on the incorrect side of Kelly Street at a speed much greater than the sign-posted 50kph.

He then headed along the south-bound lane, passing a small maroon-coloured Ford Fiesta that was travelling north, as he drove past the McDonald’s exit. 

The south and north-bound lanes at this location are separated by a concrete island, which only allows traffic exiting McDonald’s to turn left into the south-bound lane. 

As the man neared the end of the concrete island, his vehicle mounted the area and swerved towards the Ford Fiesta before re-entering the north-bound lane where Kelly Street becomes the New England Highway.

Police entered their vehicle and sped off after the accused, with all warning devices activated. 

Both the man’s vehicle and the Ford Fiesta were seen to turn right from the New England Highway and enter Makybe Diva Close, which is a dead end and can only exit back onto the New England Highway.

Police entered Makybe Diva Close and sighted both vehicles travelling towards them with the Ford Fiesta in the front and the accused’s vehicle close behind. 

Both vehicles then pulled over to the side of the road.

Police approached the 37-year-old’s vehicle and immediately recognised the man seated in the driver’s seat due to numerous dealings with him.

They were well aware that the man did not hold a current licence. 

The accused was told to exit the vehicle and questioned as to why he was driving a motor vehicle when he knew he didn’t hold a current licence.

The man was cautioned and questioned in relation to his manner of driving through Scone as he travelled past McDonalds.

He informed officers that “the bloke in the other car was being a smart arse” and had cut them off. 

Police told the man he would receive a court attendance notice for several traffic offences. 

They also conducted checks on the current status of his licence, which revealed he was the holder of a P2 licence which was disqualified from January 22, 2015, until January 21, 2017, and expired on March 11, 2015.

At the time of the accused speeding on the wrong side of the road along Kelly Street, several motorists were travelling on the roadway and in both the BP service station and McDonald’s restaurant car parks. 

Had the man, police said, run into any of these motorists while travelling at speed, on the wrong side of the road, there was a high likelihood of a serious injury collision occurring.