An apprentice electrician ended up driving almost four-and-a-half times the limit and smashing his car into a wall while celebrating his 21st birthday.
Lee Stuart Brown had booked a night in a north-east hotel with his girlfriend to mark the occasion but after the pair were involved in an argument he decided to drive home to his parents.
He crashed on Straik Road in Westhill and police later caught up with him and arrested him.
Defence agent Michael Munro told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “This happened on April 6 (this year). It was his 21st birthday the day before. This is something that will not be forgotten.
“He and his girlfriend had been out and were [supposed] to be staying at a well-known hotel for a birthday treat.
“He had driven there during the day, and they had gone out for drinks. They got into an argument and the accused realised there was little point in staying at the hotel. He then did something he shouldn’t have done.
“He got into the car and drove. The road he was on, he was familiar with. The car was involved in an incident.”
When police caught up with him, Brown was given a roadside breath-test, which revealed he had 97mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, more than four times the 22mg limit.
Brown, of Lairds Park, Dyce, admitted driving while under the influence and failing to stop after an accident.
Mr Munro added: “He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.”
Sheriff Marion McDonald told Brown: “You were very, very much over the limit.”
She fined him £500 and disqualified him from driving for 16 months, which will be reduced to 12 months if he pays for and completes a drink drivers’ rehabilitation course.
