A chef was caught driving home while almost four times the alcohol limit after being asked to “sample” new wines at work.
Jagat Paudel had been trying the new wines with colleagues at the restaurant where he works, before realising he might get a parking ticket.
The 49-year-old then made the “stupid decision” to drive home but the manner of his driving quickly drew the attention of the police.
It took Paudel around three minutes to pull over for officers who noticed his speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet.
Paudel later defended his illegal five-minute journey, telling police: “I’m not going to harm anyone or any other vehicle on the street”.
Slurring and unsteady
Fiscal depute Tom Procter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 2am on October 22 this year, on Huntly Street and Grosvenor Place in Aberdeen.
Officers had spotted Paudel at a junction and flashed to allow him to move out in front of them.
Paudel did not respond at first but did eventually move, stall, and then pull out in a “bunny hop” fashion.
He then continued driving slowly and officers signalled for him to stop.
“The accused did not react for around three minutes, driving slowly for that period while there were ample suitable places to stop”, Mr Procter told the court.
When he did eventually stop, the police officers approached and found him slurring his words and unsteady on his feet.
After failing a roadside breath test he was arrested and taken into custody.
In reply to caution and charge, Paudel said: “From where I’m working it’s only five minutes from home. I’m not going to harm anyone or any other vehicle on the street”.
Paudel, of Esslemont Avenue, Aberdeen, pled guilty to driving with 85mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22mcg.
All to avoid ‘chance’ of parking ticket
Defence agent Laura Gracie said her client, a father and husband, works as a chef and had been at work during the course of the previous evening.
She said: “A number of new wines had been taken in and he and other staff members had been asked to sample them.
“As he was leaving work he remembered he had not moved his vehicle and there was a chance he’d get a parking ticket.”
Ms Gracie explained Paudel did not live far away and made the “stupid decision” to drive.
“In hindsight, that was a particularly silly thing to do”, she added.
Sheriff Ian Wallace fined Paudel £640 and banned him from driving for 14 months.
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