A council worker who fell asleep after smoking cannabis in his car crashed into railings at an Aberdeen roundabout on the journey home.
Peter Brady had been smoking the drug near North Anderson Drive before a call from a relative spurred him into driving the 1.2 miles home.
But Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how the 38-year-old didn’t get far and wrote of the car when it came to rest upon railings at the Haudagain roundabout on July 10 last year.
Fiscal depute Kiral Bonavino said police attended and officers immediately noted Brady was “unsteady on his feet, his pupils were dilated, and there was a strong smell of cannabis emanating from him”.
Car landed on railing at roundabout
“Officers were on mobile patrol at about 4.30am when they were instructed to attend a road traffic collision on North Anderson Drive,” the fiscal said.
“On arrival they observed that the accused’s vehicle, a black Ford Focus, had collided with the railings and rested with the front end of the vehicle sitting on top of the railings and facing south, causing significant damage to the car.
“They noted the accused was unsteady on his feet, his pupils were dilated and there was a strong smell of cannabis emanating from him.
“He tested negative for alcohol.”
The dad-of-one admitted driving while unfit through drink or drugs. His not guilty pleas to possession of cannabis and Etizolem were accepted by the Crown.
Defence agent Bruce MacDonald said Brady, a labourer of 16 years for Aberdeen City Council, lived with his niece at the time and had decided to drive home as she was worried about him.
‘He was told he should go home’
“He had taken some cannabis before midnight in the car,” the solicitor said. “It was parked not too far from the Haudagain roundabout off the public road.
“He had then fallen asleep but just before this event, his father rang because his niece, who he lives with, had called and expressed concern that he hadn’t returned home.
“He was told he should go home because she was concerned.
“The irony is if that phone call hadn’t happened this would never have happened and he never would have driven.
“He accepts that on this occasion his driving was impaired by substance abuse.”
Mr MacDonald added that Brady’s car was written off, his job is not under threat and he has “learned his lesson”.
Sheriff Lesley Johnston fined Brady, of Waulkmill Crescent, Aberdeen, £420 and banned from driving for 12 months.
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