An offshore worker who drunkenly drove into a roundabout before fleeing the scene was more than four times the legal limit for alcohol.
Martyn Anderson drove home in the dark with no headlights on after drinking alcohol over a 24-hour period before getting behind the wheel.
The 37-year-old ploughed into a roundabout and a road sign before fleeing his Mitsubishi and leaving the crash scene.
Anderson had finished his last drink around 20 minutes before the alcohol-induced collision, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
When police caught the drink-driver shortly after the crash, the offender was found holding his car keys in his hand but refused to confirm he’d driven the vehicle at first.
‘He was unsteady on his feet’
Fiscal depute Stephanie Cardow told the court that around 12:35am on February 1 last year, Anderson’s grey Mitsubishi was seen by members of the public crashing into a roundabout on Denburn Road, Aberdeen.
The car had no headlights lights illuminated and damage was caused to the roundabout as a result of the collision.
“The accused then drove off and witnesses called the police,” Mrs Cardow said. “The police traced the accused on foot after he had parked his car and ran from it.
“Officers observed a strong smell of alcohol emitting from the accused and also saw that he was unsteady on his feet.”
Police officers saw that Anderson was holding a bunch of kets in his hand, which they took and confirmed were the keys to the grey Mitsubishi vehicle.
Anderson was arrested and interviewed but refused to confirm that he was driving the vehicle.
However, while in custody, Anderson later admitted that he had been drinking in various pubs around Aberdeen city centre and that he had taken his final drink around 20 minutes before he was traced by police.
He also admitted that he had been drinking for the last 24 hours.
Anderson provided a breath test reading of 95mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22mcg.
In the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Anderson pled guilty to one charge of being in charge of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
He also admitted to failing to provide the identity of the driver of the car.
‘A very high reading, more than four times the limit’
Defence solicitor Alex Burn told the court his client had been informed by his partner that she intended to initiate divorce proceedings prior to the incident.
“There were concerns about custody of his children which pushed him over the edge and into the bottle,” Mr Burn said.
“Two witnesses saw the damage to his car and contacted the police. He completely accepts his behaviour and he has subsequently co-operated with the police.”
Sheriff Sean Lynch told Anderson: “This is a very high reading, a very high reading. You were more than four times the alcohol limit”.
He also pointed out to Anderson that he had a number of previous convictions for road traffic offences including drink-driving from a number of years ago.
The sheriff fined Anderson, of Dee Street, Aberdeen, a total of £915 and disqualified him from driving for 18 months.
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