A drink-driver who was SIX TIMES the limit behind the wheel of his £60,000 Range Rover has been heavily fined and had the vehicle seized.
Ross Strachan was disqualified from driving for 18 months but will also have to continue paying off the finance on his car – estimated to be tens of thousands of pounds.
After looking at finance documents for the private-plated car, Sheriff Annella Cowan said: “It’s going to be some penalty.”
The 27-year-old drove his car through Fraserburgh while more than six times the legal drink-drive limit at around 7.30pm on August 10 this year.
An anonymous tip-off to police meant officers visited his home where they found his white Range Rover Sport in the driveway with the engine and brakes still hot to touch.
Police tracked him down to home address
Fiscal depute Ruaridh McAllister told Peterhead Sheriff Court that Strachan identified himself as the driver and “appeared inebriated”.
“An anonymous member of the public contacted police saying they had seen the accused driving on Smiddyhill Road in Fraserburgh,” he said. “Checks were carried out and his address was shown on the insurance.
“The accused presented himself to the door and appeared inebriated.”
He was taken to Kittybrewster Police Station where the level of alcohol in his blood was 140mg in 100ml, the legal limit being 22mg.
Expensive car on finance scheme
Strachan admitted the offence at an earlier appearance last month.
Defence agent Sam Milligan told the court his client had only paid around £9,000 – £10,000 towards the car on a finance scheme.
He added the car was of “significant value”.
Then sheriff Christine McCrossan ordered background reports and agreed to consider an order for forfeiture of the car to the Crown.
Ahead of Strachan’s sentencing, Mr Milligan told the court his client has no previous convictions and has held a clean licence for a decade.
‘Gross error of judgement’
Mr Milligan said: “It’s clear on this particular day he made a gross error of judgment.
“The explanation for his driving, such as it was, is contained in the reports. It’s not justification, but provides context at least as to what happened.”
He said Strachan, a self-employed turbine engineer, had his own business which would be impacted by a driving ban.
“As so far as disqualification is concerned, that will impact on the business he has set up,” he added. “He will quite simply just have to fold that and he accepts that.”
‘You need to address your way of life’
Sheriff Cowan said it was an “extraordinary” high blood alcohol reading.
Debating whether the car should be seized, she continued: “It’s not based on value. That’s a choice your client made when he invested so heavily in the vehicle.
“It’s the fact he chose to drive with an extraordinary amount of alcohol in him.”
She told Strachan: “You find yourself here was a result of various decisions … ill-advised decisions.
“The penalty will also bear on these ill-advised decisions. You need to address your way of life.
“The vehicle will be forfeited.”
Paying a hefty price
Strachan’s three-year-old two-litre hybrid Range Rover was registered in 2018.
On-the-road prices range start at around £64,685 and rises to around £114,985, depending on the version.
Strachan, of Philorth Avenue, Fraserburgh, was fined £1,040 and banned from the road for 18 months.
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