A north-east film director has been banned from the roads after he was found to be behind the wheel at nearly five times the drink-drive limit.
Lee Hutcheon, 50, appeared for trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he entered a plea of guilty and admitted driving his car while heavily under the influence of alcohol.
When tested, Hutcheon was found to be nearly five times the limit while in charge of a motor vehicle.
It is understood Hutcheon was driving his partner home to get medication – which his solicitor described as a “good deed gone wrong”.
Hutcheon was in the news last month when he was sentenced after being found guilty of choking his former partner and threatening to kill her.
He has directed a number of low-budget independent Scottish films, including The Clan, starring Braveheart star James Cosmo. His last movie, My Brother’s Keeper, was made in 2012.
Stopped in the centre of Aberdeen
The charge states that on the morning November 13 2021 Hutcheon was driving a black Ford on Regent Quay in the centre of Aberdeen when he was stopped by police.
When breathalysed Hutcheon gave a reading of 102 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mg.
Hutcheon pleaded guilty to one charge of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
‘A good deed gone wrong’
His solicitor Alex Burn told the court that Hurcheon’s partner had been arrested by police the previous evening.
The woman was released without charge the following morning and needed to get back to her home.
“She has a heart condition but she didn’t have keys to get into her address so he took her to his address,” Mr Burn said.
“He had been drinking the night before and she needed to return to her own property for her medication and her heart defibrillator.
“They should have taken a taxi but he just wanted to get her there – it was a good deed gone wrong.”
Sheriff Craig Findlater disqualified Hutcheon, of Burnside Cottages, Blairs, for 12 months and ordered him to pay a total fine of £660.
He also ordered Hutcheon to take part in a drink-driver course.
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