A former soldier has been banned from the road after driving through a Moray town while more than five times the legal alcohol limit.
Neil McPhail got behind the wheel with 109 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath to drive from Portessie to a Buckie supermarket.
The legal limit is 22mcg.
The 53-year-old was traced after worried residents contacted the police to voice concerns about his driving.
Fiscal Kevin Corrins told Elgin Sheriff Court the incident happened around 4pm on Friday, April 22.
Police officers received a call reporting that McPhail “appeared to be staggering” when approaching the car after visiting the Co-op store in Buckie’s East Church Street.
The fiscal added: “When they found him at his address, he did appear heavily intoxicated, and further inquiries confirmed he had been drinking significantly before going out.”
A breath test taken at 6.44pm confirmed that McPhail was more than five times the drink-drive limit.
McPhail, of 21 Chancellor Road, later admitted a charge of driving with excess alcohol.
His agent, solicitor Brent Lockie, acknowledged that it was McPhail’s third drink-driving offence in the past 10 years.
He added: “Apart from a problem with drink, my client has led an otherwise productive life.
“He served his country in a crack infantry regiment in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
“Sadly, there was a drink culture in the Army, and that has stayed with him.”
Mr Lockie said his client was now taking steps to address his issues with alcohol.
Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov disqualified him from driving for five years.
She also ordered McPhail to complete 200 hours of community service in the next six months, and imposed a restriction of liberty order between 7am-7pm during that period.
