A north-east man spat at a police officer after getting behind the wheel of a car while nearly four times the drink-drive legal limit.
Graeme McClure has been banned from the roads for three and a half years after admitting driving at excessive speeds on Kintore’s Hallforest Avenue with only a provisional licence and no insurance.
The 25-year-old appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday
and pleaded guilty to spitting “on the body” of police officer Wallace Dickson when approached in the Garioch town during the incident.
McClure, of Carnie Brae in Kintore, also admitted further charges of behaving in a “threatening or abusive manner” by shouting and swearing at others at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary on June 5 this year.
He also admitted being in possession of cannabis on that day.
On June 24, he was spotted failing to keep the car he was driving “under proper control” with only a provisional licence and no L plates.
He subsequently mounted a kerb before the vehicle overturned.
Fiscal depute Katie Begg said he was spotted by witnesses at a roundabout at about 3pm on the day.
She added that, when police attended, “the accused spat at police constable Dickson”.
McClure was found to have 85 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mcg.
Ms Begg added that he was “intoxicated” during the incident at ARI.
Defence solicitor Lynn Bentley stated that McClure’s actions on June 24 amounted to “serious offences”, but added there was an “underlying problem”.
She said: “He has a drinking problem, it has led to the majority of the offending.”
Ms Bentley added McClure “hoped to bring the problem under control”.
Sentencing him, sheriff Christine McCrossan said: “The social work report is really very mixed in that the social worker indicates she is not particularly convinced about your remorse.
“I am only going to allow you to go down the supervision route on the basis there is a review.
“I am not going to allow this matter to disappear without keeping a close eye on it.”
McClure was disqualified from holding a driving licence for a period of three and a half years and instructed to complete a drink-driving rehabilitation course.
A supervision order was placed on him for 18 months, while he was given a total of 180 hours’ unpaid work.
