A chef who went drinking after a bad day in the kitchen crashed his girlfriend’s car and then refused to let cops do a blood test to determine if he was over the limit.
Craig McKenzie had had an “extremely stressful” day and opted to go drinking before trying to drive home to Banchory.
However, the 30-year-old was involved in a collision and was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The incident happened on the A93 at Dess, near Aboyne, on December 3.
McKenzie ‘refused’ to provide blood sample
Fiscal depute Darren Harty told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “Officers were tasked with attending on December 3 for matters unrelated to this complaint.
“The accused’s vehicle was involved in a collision.
“He was required to identify the driver, which he did.
“He was required to provide a sample of breath, which he did and failed.”
McKenzie was then taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he “refused to provide a sample of blood for analysis”.
He pled guilty to driving while unfit through drink or drugs, driving without insurance, and failing, without reasonable excuse, to provide a sample of blood.
‘Very bad error of judgement’
Defence agent Chris Maitland said: “He had gone out to Ballater for work – he works as a chef.
“Unfortunately work didn’t go well and was extremely stressful. He got himself in a bad mood and went drinking afterwards and made the decision to drive home.
“He apologises for the decision he took.”
Mr Maitland added his client had refused to provide the blood sample after overhearing a conversation in which it was said a police doctor could take hours to arrive.
He added the car had been McKenzie’s girlfriend’s and that he “took a chance” in driving it without insurance.
Sheriff Kevin Duffy told McKenzie, of St Nicholas Crescent, Banchory: “You made a very bad error of judgement by, after drinking in Ballater, taking the chance and driving home.
“You also had very bad judgment in failing to co-operate with the police at ARI.”
The sheriff ordered him to pay a fine totalling £840, and banned him from driving for 16 months.