An Aberdeen man who was found slumped in his car by police claims he had smoked crack cocaine for the first time and fallen asleep.
Robert McPherson, 40, was reported to Police Scotland by concerned members of the public after they saw him passed out in his grey Renault on Flourmill Lane in Aberdeen.
When tested by police he was found to be negative for alcohol but positive for cocaine.
His solicitor told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that McPherson had driven to the street to pick up his girlfriend and had fallen asleep after trying crack cocaine for the “first time”.
Accused found slumped in car
Fiscal depute Stephanie Cardow told the court that at around 12pm on April 16 last year police received a telephone report of a male asleep in a vehicle.
“Officers attended and found the accused slumped in the driver’s seat,” she said.
“They struggled to wake the accused, but when they did they asked him if he was having a mental episode, to which he replied ‘no’.
“The police officers detained him and made him subject to a roadside breath test, which was negative.”
McPherson was then required to provide a saliva specimen, which proved positive for cocaine.
He pleaded guilty to one count of being in charge of a motor vehicle while unfit to do so through drink or drugs.
‘Obviously he was not fit to drive’
Defence agent Sian Grant told the court that her client had taken crack cocaine that day.
“That was the first time he had tried that particular drug – but obviously he was not fit to drive,” she said.
“Mr McPherson has since sought help and is no longer taking illicit substances.”
Sheriff Nigel Cooke pointed out that he had read some “concerning responses” by McPherson as his criminal justice social work report.
“He told a social worker this was just a driving offence, so instead of a fine I’m going to impose unpaid work.”
Sheriff Cooke made McPherson, of Sclattie Place, Bucksburn, subject to a community payback order with supervision for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
He also disqualified McPherson from driving for three years.
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