A father-of-five who was returning from a Christmas shopping trip has been banned from the roads after he was found to be nearly four times the drink-drive limit.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how John Gerrard, 40, went to buy Christmas presents for his kids before stopping off at a friend’s house for a drink on December 7 this year.
He was later pulled over by police when his car clipped a central island reservation.
The 40-year-old was tested by officers and found to be nearly four times the drink-drive limit.
Gerrard, a window cleaner, appeared in the dock and pleaded guilty to one charge of driving while impaired by alcohol.
Fiscal depute Tom Proctor told the court that police stopped Gerrard’s vehicle at around 5.40pm on the day in question due to the nature of his driving.
He said: “There was a slight collision with a central island reservation.
“The officers could smell alcohol on his breath and he presented as lethargic.
“A breath test was carried out and he was conveyed to custody where he was arrested and charged.”
When breathalysed Gerrard gave a reading of 83 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mg.
Dad had Christmas presents in the back of car
Defence agent Lynn Bentley told the court that Gerrard’s recollection of the incident was that he had “clipped a kerb” while driving.
She added: “He himself then came to his senses at that point as he had stopped and the cars around him had stopped.
“He was fully cooperative with the police and had Christmas presents in the back of his car ready for his children.
“Mr Gerrard had visited a friend and had unfortunately taken alcohol and he didn’t want to leave the car with the presents in the back.
“He then made the unwise decision to set off driving for home.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace deferred sentence on Gerrard, of Gordons Mills Crescent, Aberdeen, in order for a criminal justice social work report to be carried out.
He also handed the 40-year-old an interim disqualification.
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