An oil worker caught behind the wheel while four-and-a-half times the drink-drink limit has been banned for two years.
Barry Ross lashed out at police after being stopped on the Parkway in Bridge of Don last month.
Yesterday, he admitted the charges and was disqualified for 24 months – despite pleas from his solicitor to allow him to keep his licence so he can look after his terminally ill mother.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard the 39-year-old had been drinking at a friend’s barbecue, and had planned to leave his car there overnight.
But he later decided to drive towards home on Lee Crescent North.
When he was stopped by police on April 1, he was initially cooperative but became angry when his girlfriend left him.
He punched Constable Sonny Simpson and struggled as the officer tried to arrest him, refusing to be handcuffed.
Ross – who the court heard yesterday had been made redundant from his oil job on Tuesday – then tried to run away from officers.
A breath test later showed he had 97 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mcgs.
Fiscal Marie Irvine told the court yesterday: “The blow stuck the police officer on his armour and did no damage of any sort.”
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said his client was “very sorry” for his behaviour, and urged Sheriff Malcolm Garden to be lenient with his sentencing.
He said: “He is extremely contrite and very sorry for his behaviour.
“A disqualification will affect my client as he is the sole carer for his mother, who was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness.”
The solicitor said Ross was a first-time offender who had never been in trouble before, and added: “He lives with his long-term partner and was made redundant from the oil and gas industry yesterday.
“He hopes to be able to work on an ad hoc basis.
“He had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and that could explain why he decided to take his car home.
“His recollection of events is extremely poor.
“It was after his girlfriend left the scene to allow the police to deal with it that he became agitated and struck the officer.”
Sheriff Garden told Ross the offence had to be treated seriously, given the high alcohol reading.
“You were found to be four and a half times over the legal limit and that is something which the court has to take seriously.”
He imposed a ban of two years, but told Ross that if he completes the drink-driver rehabilitation course it could be reduced to 18 months.
He also him fined £800 for driving over the limit, and a further £300 for his assault on Constable Simpson.
