An offshore electrician crashed his car while almost three times the alcohol limit after an early-morning trip to the pub.
Callum Moir had driven into Aberdeen to drink at a pub with an early license and had initially planned to leave the car in town.
But after a few drinks, the 35-year-old decided to drive his vehicle and ended up being involved in a collision.
He was found seemingly unconscious at the wheel of the car on Don Street in Aberdeen and, after being roused by police officers, failed a roadside breath test.
Fiscal depute Tom Procter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court said a witness heard a collision on the street outside and went out to investigate at 10.50am on December 12.
‘Fateful decision’
The witness saw Moir in his vehicle, having collided with another car.
Mr Procter said: “They approached the accused’s car and saw him sitting in the driver’s seat appearing unconscious with the ignition on and lights activated.”
Police were contacted and arrived to find Moir still unconscious in the car and smelling of alcohol.
The officers roused him and carried out checks, including a roadside breath test which returned a positive result for alcohol.
He was arrested and taken into custody.
‘His intention had been to leave the vehicle’
Moir, of Selbie Drive, Inverurie, admitted driving with 62 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22 microgrammes.
He also admitted driving without insurance.
Defence agent Ian Woodward-Nutt said his client, who works offshore as an electrician, had been struggling with poor mental health.
He said: “Against that backdrop, he had been using alcohol seeking a coping mechanism.
“Matters were compounded around that time as late last year he separated from his long-term partner.
“He tells me he struggled at that time and was drinking too much.
“He’d driven to an Aberdeen bar that opened early in the morning to consume alcohol.
“His intention had been to leave the vehicle, but after taking alcohol he made the fateful decision to drive and it’s against that backdrop he came to the attention of the police.”
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis fined Moir £1,040 and banned him from driving for 20 months.
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