A drink-driver took off with a takeaway restaurant’s delivery vehicle to “teach its owner a lesson” for leaving it unattended with the keys inside.
John Scott admitted to the “bizarre” offence when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday, where he was fined £725 and banned from driving for 16 months.
The court heard that the 51-year-old was almost four times the legal alcohol limit when he decided to pull the stunt on Wednesday, August 30.
Fiscal depute, Lixia Sun, said: “The vehicle is owned by the owner of a takeaway restaurant on George Street, and he had left it outside his shop with the keys in the ignition when he went inside to collect some food for delivery.
“When he returned, the car was no longer there.”
Ms Sun explained that the man caught the attention of some nearby police officers to advise them of the theft and gave a description of the black Audi hatchback.
She added: “It was then that they noticed the car being driven along George Street.
“When police asked the accused to get out he was slurring his words and clearly under the influence of alcohol.”
The court heard that officers also noticed a bottle of cider in the car which was not previously there.
When tested, Scott was found to have 81microgrammes of alcohol per 100mililitres of breath, while the legal limit is 22mcg.
He later admitted charges of drink-driving, driving away a car without the consent of the owner and driving without insurance.
Defence agent, Christopher Maitland, admitted that the case represented “an unusual set of circumstances” but said Scott felt his actions were justified at the time.
He added: “My client had been drinking and went to the shop to purchase more alcohol.
“He saw this car completely unoccupied, but with its lights on and engine running.
“His position is that he couldn’t believe someone had left it like that, so he decided to take it around the block to teach the driver a lesson.
“It’s bizarre, his common sense had been clouded by alcohol.”
Sheriff Christine McCrossan noted that the accused, of Greig Court, had been “substantially over the limit”.
