A drugged-up driver was caught out after he tried to pay for petrol with a scratchcard.
Kevin Mallett was caught behind the wheel while unfit through cocaine and cannabis on two separate occasions on April 7 last year.
The oil worker later told his solicitor he’d consumed the drugs two days earlier during a drugs session with pals.
Mallett, 34, first came to the attention of police at 10.10am at Mill Inn Garage in Stonehaven.
Face gave away intoxication
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose said staff and customers at the garage immediately spotted that Mallett was on drugs due to his slurred words, glazed eyes, agitation – and the fact he tried to pay for his fuel with a scratchcard.
“He was slurring his words while asking to pay for his fuel by a scratch card,” the fiscal told Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
“He agreed to sign a form to say he would return within seven days to pay for his fuel.
“But he was unable to focus to complete the form. Due to his behaviour she formed the opinion he was under the influence of drugs.”
Spotted with ‘eyes glazed over’
The court heard that another filling station customer then saw Mallett and noted his “eyes were glazed over”.
Police were called and officers traced his car to Dunnyfell Road in Muchalls where Mallett was found in the driver’s seat with his keys still in the ignition.
They also noted his car was damaged as a result of a collision when he left the station.
“He was unsteady on his feet and agitated,” the fiscal added.
Saliva samples tested positive for class A drug cocaine and class B drug cannabis.
Caught driving again same day
After his release from Kittybrewster Police Station later that day, Mallett then got back behind the wheel and was involved in another road traffic incident.
At 8.35pm police were called again when Mallett’s driving caught the attention of a fellow road user on the A90 near Blackdog.
“Officers attended and noted he appeared to be under the influence of drugs,” the fiscal added.
“He was aggressive, his pupils were twitching and he was unable to stand. He tested positive for cocaine.”
Following the positive reading Mallett pushed out at officers, tried to spit on them and declared “I have Covid”.
This time he spent the night in the cells and appeared in court the following day.
Three days of drugs
Mallett admitted driving while over the drug-drive limit, driving whilst unfit through drugs and also resisting arrest.
Defence agent Stephanie Milligan said her client, who works for Wood Group, suffers from poor health, ADHD and had grown up around drugs.
“He has suffered from illicit substances from a young age and has continued to dabble in those in his adult life,” she said.
“Four days before this offence he had been consuming alcohol and illicit substances with his friends. This lasted for three days.
“Two days later he felt fine to drive.
“He’d been stopped by the police already that day, said he was fine. He drove again later that day but collided with a barrier and had an altercation with police. He acted like a child.
“He is embarrassed.”
Sheriff William Summers told Mallett his behaviour was “extraordinarily dangerous”.
“It’s very fortunate nobody was injured,” he said. “Your position is made worse by the abuse you then gave to officers when they came to aid you.”
He banned Mallett, of Arbuthnott Street, Stonehaven, from the road for three years and handed him 180 hours of unpaid work and a 12-month supervision order.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
