Tracks in snow led to drink driver
Police noticed RAF man’s tyre marks veered across both carriageways
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A weapons technician from RAF Lossiemouth was caught drink driving after leaving tracks in the snow, Elgin Sheriff Court heard yesterday.
Darren Shalliker, 34, of 20 Muirton Place, Kinloss, was almost three times over the drink drive limit when police pulled him over at around 5.50am on November 23. The officers on patrol had followed tracks in the snow on the A96 Inverness to Aberdeen road which veered across both carriageways. Fiscal depute Geoff Main said the police followed the tracks on to the B9013 Alves to Burghead road and arrived at Shalliker’s car.
He said: “When they pulled him over at College of Roseisle he smelled of alcohol.”
A breath test revealed he was nearly three times the legal limit. Shalliker admitted drink driving, but told Sheriff Noel McPartlin he had stopped drinking at 11.30pm the previous night and slept at a friend’s house before heading home.
“I did not intend to drink and drive,” he said.
Shalliker said, if he were to lose his licence, he would be prevented from going on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But Sheriff McPartlin told him he was “considerably over the limit”, banned him from driving for a year and fined him £400.
The sheriff also said Shalliker would have his year-long ban reduced by three months if he passed a drink-drive correction course.
RAF Lossiemouth said a decision would be made on whether Shalliker could be sent to Iraq and Afghanistan as a result of the ban.
A statement from the base said: “Following a civil conviction the RAF will decide on a case-by-case basis whether an individual is suitable for out-of-area deployment.
“This decision will consider any necessary criteria for the post in theatre, and any conditions imposed by the conviction.
“The RAF will consider any appropriate administrative action following the civil conviction.”
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