A drink-driver who caused a serious car accident when he crashed his Mini has been banned from the roads.
Ryan McKenzie, 28, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted getting behind the wheel of his Mini Cooper while over the drink-drive limit.
He then crashed his car on a country road near Methlick, which saw his vehicle turn onto its side.
A sheriff told McKenzie that he put himself and the public at risk of “serious harm” on the night of the offence.
Accused was trapped inside Mini
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin told the court that at around 10.40pm on May 11 last year police were contacted by a road user who had driven by a crash on the B999 near to Haddo House, Methlick.
A red Mini Cooper was found on its side against a fence with McKenzie trapped within the vehicle.
He was breathing and an ambulance was called to assess him.
Once removed from the vehicle, McKenzie was required to provide a specimen of breath, which gave a positive result for alcohol in his system.
He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was given the all-clear and where he provided an additional sample of urine.
It provided a reading of 76mg of alcohol in 100ml of urine. The legal limit is 67mg.
The Mini has subsequently been scrapped, the court heard.
In the dock, McKenzie pleaded guilty to one charge of being in charge of a motor vehicle while over the legal limit of alcohol to drive.
Representing himself, McKenzie accepted that he could have caused “serious harm” to other road users.
‘No place for this type of offence’
Sheriff Gordon Lamont described McKenzie’s actions that night as an “extremely serious offence”.
He added: “It put your life in danger and it puts members of the public in danger as well.
“There’s no place for this type of offence.
“However, this is not the highest level [of alcohol reading] that the court has seen.”
Sheriff Lamont disqualified McKenzie, of Station Road, Ellon, from driving for 12 months and also made him subject to a community payback order with supervision for one year.
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