The boss of a floor-laying firm was caught driving more than five times the booze limit – while looking for an employee he’d lost on a night out.
Grandfather Ian Carter had been in the Aberdeen area for work when he and a few employees went drinking in the city centre.
But when one of them went “missing”, Carter jumped into his van to look for him in an “act of gross stupidity”.
The 41-year-old was spotted on CCTV and cops were sent to track him down, locating him on foot on Holburn Street, having been refused entry to The Foundry bar.
Fiscal depute Victoria Kerr told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “Police constables were advised by the area control room of a car the driver of which was believed to be under the influence of alcohol.
Carter ‘smelled strongly of alcohol’
“They were advised the driver had alighted from the vehicle and was attempting to enter The Foundry bar but was refused entry.
“Police located the accused a matter of minutes later on Holburn Street walking towards Union Street.
“They noted he smelled strongly of alcohol, his speech was slurred and he was unable to keep his balance.”
After initially denying he was the driver, Carter was found in possession of the van’s keys and failed a breath test.
Carter, of East Street, Hebburn, pled guilty to driving with 112 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath.
The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
He also admitted failing to give police information as to the identity of the driver.
The incident happened on February 15 2020.
‘Act of gross stupidity’
Defence agent Alex Burn told the court his client has his own floor-laying firm which employs three people, adding: “He is from the north-east of England and travels throughout the country.
“He’d been in Aberdeen for work. He had gone for a few drinks with some of the crew he was with at that particular time.”
Mr Burn said one of the employees then went “missing” and that Carter got in the van and drove “round the block” looking for him.
Mr Burn said: “It’s an act of gross stupidity.
“He is embarrassed about this.
“He does have two convictions which are analogous but that is some time ago.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge disqualified Carter from driving for 12 months and fined him £740.
