A repeat drink-driver who ploughed into a bus has been handed a significant road ban.
Dibu John, 37, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted driving while more than three times the legal alcohol limit.
The court was told he collided with a bus at the junction between North Anderson Drive and the Lang Stracht before driving his mangled Nissan Juke for a mile back to his home.
It was John’s second drink-driving conviction in six months after he was caught behind the wheel while on his way to pick up his daughter from school in May last year.
School run drink-driving
Fiscal depute Georgia Laird told the court that police constables attended at Eday Road, Aberdeen, on May 17 where they found John unsteady on his feet.
He initially claimed to be suffering a medical episode due to being diabetic and officers took him to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
But the officers soon noted a smell of alcohol coming from him and asked him to provide a specimen of breath which provided a positive reading.
In response to caution and arrest, John – who was on his way to pick up his daughter from school – told the officer: “It’s my fault.”
His urine was tested and provided a reading of 222mg of alcohol in 100ml of urine. The legal limit is 67mg.
Drink-driver drove home after Aberdeen bus crash
On November 27 2023, the driver of a First bus was driving on the Lang Stracht at the junction with North Anderson Drive when he saw John’s red Nissan Juke appear from the opposite direction and fail to give way.
“It resulted in the vehicle colliding with the front offside of the bus,” Ms Laird said.
When police arrived on the scene they saw the bus had sustained damage but were unable to locate John’s vehicle.
They reviewed the CCTV of the collision, identified John’s vehicle and attended at his property.
He was also found to be driving while only on a provisional driving licence.
When asked to provide a specimen on breath, John gave a reading of 67 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 22mcg.
John pleaded guilty to two charges of driving while under the influence of alcohol.
He also admitted one charge of driving without due care or attention and a further charge of driving without insurance due to having no qualified driver in the vehicle with him.
‘I cannot imagine what you thought you were doing’
Defence solicitor Michael Burnett described his client’s behaviour on both occasions as a “bizarre series of circumstances”.
“There’s clearly mental health issues here and he has been using alcohol to medicate that,” Mr Burnett said.
“Mr John must now accept that he has more than one conviction for drink-driving on his record.”
Sheriff Rory Bannerman told John he had shown a “remarkable lack of interest” in the safety of other road users.
He also told John it was “difficult to put much stock” in the fact that he had no previous convictions before these incidents because he had managed to rack up two drink-driving convictions despite only being in the UK for two years.
“You were also on your way to pick up your daughter from school when you were found to be three times the drink-drive limit,” the sheriff said.
“I cannot imagine what you thought you were doing.”
Sheriff Bannerman disqualified John, of Eday Square, Aberdeen, from driving for 32 months and made him subject to the community payback order with supervision for 16 months.
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