A member of the famous MacDonald-Haig poppy family yesterday admitted drink-driving – on the same Highland road where he killed his friend in an alcohol-fuelled crash over 12 years ago.
Alexander MacDonald-Haig was 21 when he went to prison for causing a fatal crash that caused the death of teenager Ruaraidh Potts in 2003.
Yesterday, he appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit drink driving on the A82 on Loch Ness-side and not resitting his test after a road ban for the 2003 tragedy.
MacDonald-Haig, now 33, was jailed for three years in 2004 after admitting carelessly driving his Land Rover when he was almost three times the drink-drive limit.
The vehicle overturned and 18-year-old apprentice Mr Potts, a passenger, died in the accident on the A82 on December 3, 2003.
Mr Potts’s mother Vanessa and her husband, Willie, had written a letter pleading for leniency for MacDonald-Haig.
But Lord McEwan told him: “I have not the slightest doubt of your remorse for this act which will stay with you for the rest of your life and I do not doubt the grief of both families at this tragedy.”
But the judge pointed out to MacDonald-Haig that he had been “considerably” over the permitted limit when he drove in a careless way.
He said: “As a result the vehicle lost control and a good friend of yours died at the spot.”
After jailing MacDonald-Haig who pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, Lord McEwan also ordered that he should be disqualified from driving for 10 years and resit a driving test.
But when tree surgeon MacDonald-Haig, of Wellesborune, Milton, Drumnadrochit, came to court yesterday, he admitted not resitting the extended test and pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified.
He also admitted driving with 48mg of alcohol in his breath – over twice the legal limit of 22mgs – Lochend, near Inverness on September 24.
Fiscal depute David Morton said police attended a collision involving Macdonald-Haig and smelled alcohol on his breath.
Defence lawyer John MacColl said: “Alcohol was still in his system from the night before.”
Sentence was deferred for a background report until May 5.
