A school catering worker was still two-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit the day after a “big session”.
Steven Masson was spotted by police mounting the verge and swerving on the wrong side of the road.
The 60-year-old, who works at Meldrum Primary School, told the court he thought he would be safe to drive again at 5pm the following day.
Fiscal depute Emma Peterson said police spotted Masson’s Kia Sportage swerving onto the wrong side of the road then briefly mounting the verge of the Oldmeldrum bypass at 5.10pm on April 16 this year.
Masson appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and pled guilty to drink-driving on the B9170 Oldmeldrum bypass near its junction with Colpy Road.
His breathalyser reading found he had 55mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, the legal limit being 22.
Defending himself in court, Masson said he’d been “stupid” and had thought he was okay to drive despite his “big session” the day before.
‘I thought I was okay to drive’
He told Sheriff Donald Ferguson: “My wife and kids had moved out of the family house the day before.
“I had to move to another house on the Friday night and I had started drinking and stupidly the next day I thought I was okay to drive.
“But obviously I wasn’t. I had had a big session the day previously.”
The canteen worker said he’s now seeking help from professionals to deal with the problems he was having at the time.
Masson added that the inevitable loss of his otherwise clean licence would not put his employment at threat given he could walk to work.
Sheriff Donald Ferguson told him: “You could have caused a very serious accident and you endangered the lives of others and yourself.”
Masson, of Howe Place, Oldmeldrum, was banned from the road for 18 months, fined £470 and deemed suitable for the drink-driver rehabilitation scheme which could see him get his licence back sooner.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen and the latest crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
