A builder who was caught driving at 16 times the cocaine limit had taken the drug after watching Scotland lose their World Cup qualifying clash with Ukraine.
Steven Parkington had been out with friends watching the match in an Elgin pub when he agreed to buy and consume cocaine.
He was “emboldened” by having had a good sleep and felt fine to drive the next morning, Elgin Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Shay Treanor said the 32-year-old’s blue Audi was stopped by police on the A941 North Street road near Morriston Road in Elgin at 10am on June 2 last year.
“Roadside checks were carried out, namely a drug swipe which the accused failed,” he said. “The vehicle was searched and a wrapped white substance was found which was tested and was cocaine.”
The 3.1 grams of Class A drug had a value of between £100 and £250.
Was drinking during match
Parkington pled guilty to driving with 800mcg of the cocaine breakdown Benzoylecgonine in one litre of blood, the legal limit being 50.
His defence agent Matthew O’Neill said: “He had been out with friends as the Scotland v Ukraine game had been taking place. He had met with friends to take in the match and whilst watching alcohol had been consumed by him.
“He had gone out, which was something he had not been doing much of at the time due to his circumstances being in a very tight spot.”
The solicitor explained Parkington’s eight-year-old business was struggling due to the effects of the pandemic.
He felt ’emboldened’ by good sleep
“That was something he was struggling with,” the solicitor added. “An individual within the locus where he was drinking had offered him a substance to purchase. He foolishly agreed to purchase it and did consume a large amount of that.
“He went home, he had a good sleep and the next morning he was travelling to his work. Emboldened by the sleep he had, he felt fit to be behind the wheel. The fact he was not became apparent to him quite quickly.”
The court heard he was now working full-time for a building firm, living with his parents again and generally doing much better
Sheriff Ian Cruickshank fined Parkington, of Calcots Crescent, Elgin, £840 and banned him from driving for one year.
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