An Aberdeen decorator crashed while more than five-and-a-half times the drink-drive limit after a boozy barbecue.
Michal Daton had been enjoying a “convivial barbecue” with the drink flowing when he received an unexpected call regarding a painting job.
The 42-year-old was told he had to collect a set of keys by 6pm or risk missing out on the job.
Despite having been “drinking heavily”, Daton jumped into his car, but crashed before he could reach his destination.
Fiscal depute Lydia Ross told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 5.30pm on July 1 on Denburn Road in Aberdeen.
Michal Daton ‘realises he could have caused serious harm to others’
She said there was a minor collision in which Daton bumped into the rear of another vehicle, the driver of which then noted a smell of alcohol on Daton’s breath.
Ms Ross said: “Police attended and the accused appeared to have glazed eyes and did not seem fazed by the situation.”
He failed a breath test and was arrested.
Daton, of Auchinleck Crescent, Aberdeen, pled guilty to driving with 125 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is just 22 microgrammes.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said: “He accepts it’s a high reading and that he had no place driving a car that Saturday afternoon.”
‘It’s a source of huge regret to him’
He said the married father-of-one was enjoying a rare day off work as a self-employed painter and decorator.
Mr Kelly went on: “He was enjoying a convivial barbecue at home and concedes he’d been drinking heavily.
“He received a call from the factor of the flats that he was to be decorating the following week.
“He thought he was to pick up the keys the following day, but the factor said if he didn’t get there and pick up the keys by 6pm the job would go elsewhere.
“He took the rash decision to drive the short distance and there were intervening circumstances that brought him to the attention of the police.”
The solicitor added: “It’s a source of huge regret to him.
“He realises he could have caused serious harm to others, not least himself.”
Sheriff Kevin Duffy fined Daton £520 and banned him from driving for 16 months.
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