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Crown prosecutor Camille Tokar said Christensen was going 122 km/h when he swerved into the oncoming traffic lane to go around a car that was turning in front of him and then 119 km/h when he returned to his lane.

Tokar also told court several children were in an adjacent playground at the time and said Christensen made an “extremely dangerous” decision to go around the car and showed a “total disregard for the lives” of anyone who was in the school zone.

Defence lawyer Harold Brubaker, who had asked for a conditional discharge — which could have led to Christensen not getting a permanent criminal record — told court his client is “horrified” by what he did and willing to take anger management counselling.

Court heard Christensen did not have a prior criminal record and his driver’s abstract has two speeding convictions on it.

Brubaker also told court Christensen was picking up groceries for his grandmother at the time, he was not familiar with the area and did not know it was a school zone and said he was “angry and upset” over busy traffic he had been in and he “inexplicably gunned it.”

Brubaker said Christensen saw police and immediately pulled over. He also said the incident was “out of character” for his client, who understands he must work on his “impulse control” while driving.

Court also heard that Christensen, a fourth-year apprentice pipefitter, suffers from exam anxiety and he took the test for his learner’s permit 54 times before finally passing it as a result of the “stress” making his “mind go blank.”

Since the incident, he has taken a defensive driving course.

His lawyer also said Christensen was forced to take down his Facebook page due to comments made by the public.