Police discover wine in Nairn man’s van after locals spot him hitting kerbs and pavements

Witnesses alerted the police after they saw a red van veering about the road one night, hitting kerbs and mounting the pavement.

Fiscal Martina Eastwood told Portree Sheriff Court yesterday that officers eventually found the van, parked by then, and discovered a bottle of wine in the driver’s footwell.

They traced the driver, Nairn man James Hall, 50, to an address in the Skye town.

But when taken to the local police station Hall, of Barrowgill Terrace, Acre Street, refused to give the two required breath samples.

Hall admitted driving dangerously in Portree on November 10 and failing to give breath samples.

His lawyer told Sheriff Bill Taylor his marriage was breaking up and he had an issue with alcohol. He also lost his job over the incident.

Said the lawyer: “He spent two weeks in New Craigs and now attends AA meetings. My client realises the consequences for himself and members of the public could have been much worse.’

Banning Hall from driving for two years and fining him £500 the sheriff told him,’ People could have been killed that night.’

He was also ordered to resit the driving test before getting back on the road.