A ‘frankly foolish’ family man snorted cocaine behind the wheel of the van and then made the decision to drive immediately after.
Iain Fordyce was spotted by a member of the public sniffing the Class A drug from a rolled-up banknote in the front of a red Peugeot van on a rural road outside Elgin.
He was then seen driving off from the scene at rural Wester Calcots Farm on the afternoon of June 4 2020, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Snorted drugs through banknote
Fiscal depute Sharon Ralph said: “At 7.45pm an eyewitness observed two men in the front of a Peugeot van who they saw passing an item between them in a rolled up bank note.
“They suspected the men were snorting some form of substance.
“They saw the Peugeot van being driven towards Calcots.
“They called the police and officers traced the van 200 metres away.”
Fordyce identified himself to police as the driver and a subsequent drug swipe proved positive for cocaine.
Fordyce admitted a drug-driving charge.
‘He is quite embarrassed’
Defence agent David Patterson said it was a “frankly foolish” decision to make.
“His past offending, he thought, was put in his past,” he said. “He has distanced himself from negative attitudes for a length of time.
“This use of cocaine was quite frankly foolish.
“He is quite embarrassed at coming to the attention of the court again under such circumstances especially since he has made such positive progress with his career and family since then.
“The loss of his licence will have a significant impact on his family and work.”
The solicitor added that the offence was two-and-a-half years old and Fordyce has since distanced himself from negative attitudes and has been of no trouble since.
Sheriff David Hardie said bringing up the timescale involved was a “double-edged sword”.
‘I’m bewildered’
“He was seen by someone snorting something in a car yet this took two-and-a-half years to resolve,” the sheriff said.
“I’m bewildered this has taken since June 2020 to resolve.”
He handed Fordyce, of Letterfourie Road, Buckie, an 18-month roads ban and a one-year supervision order.
“You must do work in relation to understanding the risks you are creating with some of your, it would appear sporadic but all too common, driving issues,” Fordyce was told.
