A drink-driver wrecked his car while racing another driver on the way to his friend’s house, a court has heard.
Andrew Edwards appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted getting behind the wheel of his car while nearly four times the drink-drive limit.
The 23-year-old was seen racing another vehicle before ploughing into a road sign on Wapping Street, Aberdeen.
Edwards’ lawyer told the court that “the irony is that he could’ve walked” the short distance to his friend’s home.
Road sign left bent with oil spilling around
Fiscal depute Lydia Ross said at around 2am on April 2 2021, Edwards’ car was observed driving off at “excessive speed” from his home in Mary Emslie Court.
She added: “His car was then seen racing with another vehicle before it was seen to collide with a road sign after failing to turn left at Denburn Road.
“The car suffered significant front-end damage to its bonnet while the road sign bent upwards and oil spilled around it.”
Police arrived at the scene and found Edwards in an intoxicated state.
He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where a blood sample was taken.
When tested, Edwards’ blood was found to contain 193 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 50ml.
Edwards pleaded guilty to one charge of driving a motor vehicle carelessly and without due care or attention while driving at excessive speed.
He also admitted to being in charge of a motor vehicle with an excessive amount of alcohol in his system.
‘A dangerous piece of driving’
Defence agent David Sutherland told the court that the “irony” of his client’s situation was that the distance was so short “he could have walked” that night.
“He was going to his friend’s house and decided to take his car,” he said.
“My client has expressed remorse and accepts responsibility for what happened.”
Sheriff Kevin McCarron told Edwards: “This was quite a high alcohol reading and a dangerous piece of driving.
“However, you have no record of previous convictions and you are only 23 years old.”
Sheriff McCarron fined Edwards, Mary Emslie Court, Aberdeen, a total of £640 and disqualified him from driving for 18 months.
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